


The Ancient Curse

by Silverlineage



Category: Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Declarations Of Love, Elemental Magic, Fae & Fairies, Humor, Judgement, Love, Magic Revealed, Multi, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 17:50:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 61
Words: 358,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16068218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverlineage/pseuds/Silverlineage
Summary: A new threat is revealed after an ancient race of Fae is discovered. Jericho and Beast Boy discover a Fae princess that soon becomes a target for the Unseelie Court. The Titans now have a new threat, and old enemies will soon appear to help this ancient evil come to pass. - This story contains some information from the comic series for back history - takes place when cartoon ends*This story is complete!*





	1. Chapter 1

It all started out the same way. A glowing light in the distance. A struggle to move towards it. Just as it was in reach, diabolical laughter was heard and the light was extinguished. Jericho always woke up in a cold sweat after each dream. They were starting to scare him. When he first saw the dream, it was a year ago. Throughout the year, the dream got more and more frequent. And more and more intense. It signaled that something was going to happen. He wasn't sure what it was.

 

Being a Titan, a hero among humans, he was in the Titan Tower in one of the spare rooms. Normally, he would be sleeping on a high mountaintop in Tibet in solitude, but he had agreed to join the Titan Tower in the south when it was built. However, since the defeat of the Brotherhood of Evil, he was offered a place to stay. He had accepted, but he knew it was only temporary. He missed the mountaintop that he called home. He got out of his bed and studied himself in the mirror.

Deep green eyes that appeared slightly sunken in looked back at him through locks of full blonde hair with soft curls. His hair came down in soft locks past his ears and framed his face like sideburns, but they were loose. His face seemed gentle and kind, which he was normally. But, if one pissed him off, he was easily a force to be reckoned with. He proved that time and time again.

He was in his briefs right now, but that's how he slept when the dreams started to intensify. He couldn't stand waking up with his clothes sticking to him. He gave a soundless yawn, as he stretched. Being mute, it was something that couldn't be helped. He was able to talk before, but his vocal cords were destroyed. He didn't mind it, though. It happened for a reason, and he wasn't going to complain. Sign language and body language always worked best for him. He showered quickly and donned his white, long-sleeved shirt. Gold wristbands kept the sleeves in place, and a purple vest-like tunic came down over his hips. A gold belt was here to secure this around his waist. Black stretch pants were put on next. The last thing slipped on were his purple boots with the gold calf braces and black bottoms soles.

Now that he was dressed, he felt better. Grabbing his guitar, he started to move from the room to the hallway. He heard someone talking, and he paused.  _It was Raven._  He liked her once, long ago, but things didn't work out. It was fine. Something told him that the dream he was having was going to lead him in the right direction. He was only trying to cheer up Raven at first, but then he got taken over by evil thoughts when he infiltrated an enemy mind. He became her enemy and an enemy of the Titans. Only a few short years ago was he able to reconcile with them after the evil left his mind. He was an honorary Titan now and wouldn't exchange it for the world. No matter what he was offered.

He heard her talking again and recalled what she was like. She tended to wear a hooded, blue cloak that was clasped together with a jeweled brooch. Her hair was purple, and her eyes were black. A red gem, called a Chakram, was embedded in her forehead, and it was a purely diamond shape. It amplified her powers when she meditated. The rest of her one-piece outfit was black with a gold, chain-like belt going around her waist. The chain had a red, circular gem in each loop, and the pendant she had for her cloak bore the same type of gem. She had on short, purple boots, and that was really all that she needed. Her legs were exposed, and her arms were covered down to her hands. She didn't need to wear gloves of any sort. From what he could tell, Beast Boy seemed to like her, but he wouldn't know. It was hard to tell with the green-skinned, green-haired boy with slightly pointed ears and fanged incisors.

He remembered that there was another that he liked long ago, but that one was a touch too painful. That and the dream he kept getting was telling him that the one he was truly destined for wasn't far off at all. Deciding to walk away from the talking, he made his way to the roof of the tower to play his guitar in solitude. Inside the Tower was a different story altogether. Beast Boy was bored stiff down in the main room and was determined to find something to do.

"Is there  _nothing_  to do around here now?!" he complained.

"Go play a video game," a dark-skinned guy who was half robot said. His chest and body was titanium alloy armor. His shoulders, arms and legs were all machine and encased in clear, blue, ultra-defensive glass. A few sections of his limbs were free of it to show he still had some human skin left here and there. His hands, arms, legs, and feet were armored with the same metal as his chest. His head was half machine and covered most of the left side of his face to leave him bald. The underside of his jaw was also mechanical. He glared at Beast Boy with his right human eye. The black iris seemed to regard him with irritation. His glowing red mechanical left eye was solid to show he was at full power.

Beast Boy fumbled with his large, gray gloves. His outfit looked like it was all spandex. Black stretch cloth covered his arms, and the front of chest was purple. The purple moved down to form something that resembled shorts, and a grey belt held it snugly to his waist. If he turned, the purple coloring also went over his back. It seemed to resemble a long tunic of sorts. The black color reappeared to cover down his legs. Purple and grey tennis shoes completed his look. He pouted and rubbed at his spiked green hair.

"But, Cyborg, I already beat my Mega Monkey 3000 game, like, a hundred times! Ever since we got more Titans, yeah, it's nice, but there's nothing to do!" Beast Boy sighed miserably. "The moment a burglary hits, BOOM! Kid Flash got it! Another break in happens and WHAM! Hot Spot has them in a meltdown! I'm  _bored_  I tell you!"

"Well, I dunno what to tell ya, BB," Cyborg said. "I'm beefing up the Tower's main control units. Robin wants to start up a whole network of Titan buildings around the globe. It will help give the other Titans something to do and a way for all of us to have areas to guard. We won't be so concentrated or crowded this way. That means I have stuff to do. And, NO, you can't help! I  _know_  how you get around machines! You touch something, it explodes!"

"But...but..." he frowned with puppy-dog eyes.

"No! Go find something to do other than bug me!" Cyborg said. Beast Boy sighed miserably again and moped off. Then he thought that Robin might need help. Moving off to find him, he stopped to peer into the training room. Robin was training with Starfire, and it was nonstop work.

"I'm going to subdue you, Robin!" Starfire grinned. She landed on a steel plank, and her long, brownish-red hair swept down her back. Her green eyes were smiling with her before glowing a solid green, as she focused on her powers even further to fly. She was from the planet, Tamaran, and a princess. It also explained why her outfit was far different than others, but everyone had their own style of dress. She wore a three-piece top, skirt and leg boots set of clothes. Her belly and shoulders were bare, save for the silver armlet on her left arm and the silver gauntlets she wore. Her neck was armored with the same silver metal, as well as her belt and boot cuffs.

"Not if you can't catch me!" Robin grinned. He was the classic American teen hero. His black hair was spiked to the left. He wore a black mask that covered his eyes to hide his identity, and it left his eyes glowing white at the same time to hide their color. Pale skin and a well-toned body from martial arts training kept his build fit. Green gloves covered his hands, and a yellow, light-weight cloak was stitched tightly to his uniform. It was made of a special armor alloy to act as a shield, as well. Green sleeves were attached to a red tunic, and a yellow weapons belt separated where the green pants met the red tunic. The neck collar was black and lined with yellow to show where the cape attached. Black shoes stitched up to the calves were perfect for running and jumping. The outfit was fully completed by the large, yellow 'R' stitched over his heart. He was the true leader of the Titans and one of their founders.

"Um, Robin?" Beast Boy asked, as he peered in curiously.

"What, Beast Boy? Something wrong?" Robin asked, and he came to a stop in front of him.

"What is with the up?" Starfire blinked and hovered over him.

"I'm bored! Can we do something?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Ah...no?" Robin grinned. "I have buildings being created all over the world right now. Until they're built, there's really not much we can do. Maybe Raven would have something for you?"

"She'll just scare me away," he muttered.

"Oh! You can play with Silkie?" Starfire beamed. The giant, yellow caterpillar with darker yellow markings was picked up from one of their previous missions and became an instant pet and mascot. He ate anything when hungry, and Starfire loved him to pieces, even though it was Beast Boy that found him and snuck him into the Tower.

"I dun wanna," Beast Boy pouted and crossed his arms over his chest to pout.

"Well, go talk to Raven. I'm sure she may have something for you to do," Robin said. Beast Boy pouted and dodged a fly-by from Starfire, as he made his way out. He cringed, as he walked down the hall and stared at Raven's door. He took a deep breath and knocked on it.

"Who dares to disturb me?!" Raven growled, as she opened the door to peer out.

"Um...hi?" Beast Boy grinned. The door slammed shut on him, and he knocked again.

"What? Are we in trouble?" she asked, as the door inched open again.

"I'm bored! Cyborg won't let me help him, Robin is training with Starfire, and I was told to see you!" he said. "All I want is something to do!"

"You can go away," she frowned.

"Pleeease?!" he asked with a large, fanged grin. "Surely you have  _something_?!"

"Ugh...fine...come in..." Raven sighed and opened the door for him. He squealed with delight and went silent at her glare. A Titan that went by the name of Herald was helping her sort the books in her room. He got his name from the trumpet he had on his belt. It was his primary source of power to let him open up vast warp holes to any dimension or place he chose when it was blown. It was also why he and Raven got along so well. He wore a dark blue hooded cloak that also worked as the front of his tunic. A belt held everything to his waist. A silver mask covered his forehead to only expose glowing white eyes, but the rest of his skin was dark. Black sleeves and pants fitted his arms and legs. Silver chest buttons and gloves completed his outfit with purple boots.

"Hi," Herald nodded. "What's going on?"

"He's bored," Raven frowned. "It happens. Constantly."

"Not that often!" Beast Boy started. "Well...okay. It happens a lot."

"You had to explain it?" Herald grinned.

"Where was that book on ancient legends?" Raven asked.

"The one about mythical stuff? Or real stuff?" Herald asked. She held up her finger for the first choice, and he pointed at a large pile of books near the window.

"A  _book_?! You're giving me a book?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Do you know how to read?" Raven asked with a glare.

"Yes..." he pouted.

"Then yes. A book. Read it. Give it back when you're done. It's something to do. Isn't it?" Raven asked him and found the book she wanted. Her powers ranged in solid shadow with telekinetic abilities, and the brown book with silver binding was brought to her this way. "Here. It has pictures in it, too. It's about fairies. Elves. Pixies. Unicorns. Different fairy tale monsters. You'll like it."

"I'm not a girl!" Beast Boy frowned.

"If you don't want my help in doing something..." Raven shrugged and prepared to put the book back. Beast Boy squeaked, became a green hawk, swooped up, and grabbed the book. He reverted back to normal with the book in his hands. He made a face at her, and a quick bee-line for the door was done at her glare. He grumbled, as the door slammed shut behind him, and he glared at the book in his hands.

"Fine! I'll read it," he sighed with defeat. _It was something to do, anyways._  He made his way back to his messy room, collapsed on the bed, and opened the cover. The next three hours were spent reading. He couldn't believe the mythical creatures he could try to become! He experimented with a dragon, a unicorn, and a griffin already. He was amazed at the animals he was adding to his arsenal. Then he blinked.  _Weren't these all creatures I shouldn't be able to change into?_   _They weren't supposed to exist, but I'm able to become them!_   _Then again, I could become alien beasts, too._   _Maybe I can become whatever I want that's a beast! But, why am I discovering this now?_   _There had to be a reason for it._  At the knock on his door, he answered it to find Starfire there.

"Lunch is ready for the eating!" she giggled.

"Okay. Thanks. I'm, uh, finishing up something right now. I'll be there in a bit. If I'm not, I'll make myself a tofu burger later," Beast Boy said.

"You found something to amuse yourself with? May I partake in it?" she smiled.

"Raven gave me a book to read. Shhhhh! Don't tell anyone that I like it!" he warned.

"Your secret is safe with me!" she nodded. "Um...but the others will find it strange if you don't come down to partake with the eating. Are you sure you want me to tell them you will be down later?"

"Yeah. Robin won't be too concerned. He'll just be happy that I'm not bugging him," he grinned. Starfire giggled, nodded, and flew off. When he hopped back on his bed to continue reading, he stopped at a picture of a hill with a structure underneath it. "That's cool! Cities under green hills?! Hmm. Oh! There's one at the park near here! Oh. Only seen at night. Not by human eyes. Maybe animal eyes? Ooh! I can test out being a unicorn there! This will be fun! Okay. Something to do, check! Secret mission...double check!"

At his fanged grin, he closed the book and made his way down to eat with the others.


	2. Chapter 2

He waited until an hour before dusk when he decided it was time to head out. As he made his way to the exit, Cyborg saw him.

"Hey, BB! Where are you going?" he asked.

"Night flying," Beast Boy grinned. "I think I need the exercise. Do I look fat to you?"

"Nah. Just your head," he grinned. At Beast Boy's pout, he sighed and said, "Okay. Don't be out too long. You know how Robin likes to check and make sure that everyone's in before the Tower defenses go up. When you're stuck out there, it's for the night."

"I think I'll be fine," Beast Boy said. "Besides, I left my window open. Don't worry! I'll close it when I get back in! And don't tell me you put up the thingy that closes the windows!"

"The Automated Window Defense Unit 3.0? Yep! Installed and working! You have three hours before it activates!" Cyborg chuckled. Beast Boy pouted again, but made his way outside. Once out the door, he became an owl to see in the dimming light and took off towards the city park. He scanned the area and didn't see the hill he thought was there.  _There were forests nearby, right?_ He headed there next. The moonlight helped, even though it wasn't at its full peak yet. Hooting to himself, he found a clearing and swooped down to land in a tree to study the area.

There was a nice little stream here with various bushes and even a little stump. It sort of reminded him of what a grove would look like from the book he read. There were no hills present, but the area looked calm and peaceful.  _Was this one of them?_ He thought, as he recalled flying over this place not that long ago.  _Why didn't I see this place before?_  Then he thought of something else.  _Were there fairy rings nearby?_ He didn't spot any. Now he paused, as he heard weeping.  _Was someone lost out here?!_ He landed and became human. Now he realized the crying was gone. Then he noticed the clearing was gone! _Was there a ghost?! Was the place haunted?!_

"Wait," he muttered to himself. "I heard the crying as an animal. Not a human. And that place appeared to me as an animal, too! Okay...weird..."

He decided to change into his new unicorn form, and he paused after the shift. The grove came back in full reveal to him. The weeping was back, too, and much stronger now. He snorted and carefully moved towards the sound. What he saw had him in complete shock. He didn't see this as his owl form. There was, what appeared to be, a young teenage girl sitting on the once empty stump. She was holding her head in her hands. Her clothes looked dirty, but appeared to have been beautiful at one time. Her hair was a dirty white, exceptionally long from how it was looped up three times behind her head, and she looked like she hadn't seen a bath in a long time. But, it was her ears that intrigued him.  _They were sharply pointed._ Much like that of an Elf's ears, but longer from what he could tell. They seemed to stick out slightly at the sides in a cute way. A soft trickle of dirty white tendrils coiled gently in front of her ears, and it looked like she wore jewelry of sorts, but it all looked filthy from neglect.

"Oh, cruel, cursed fate!" she gasped through her tears. "Soon...it will be too late for me! I will be trapped here once again! Is there no one that can help me?! Am I to remain alone for the rest of my days? Maybe I am. All hope is lost. In two nights hence, I know it will be another hundred years of cruelty if I am not freed. But...at least I have my music...I suppose..."

Beast Boy watched with solid amazement. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Even what he was hearing from the little chiming tone she gave out. _It sounded like a tinkling of bells!_   _Who was she?_  When she took her hands away from her face, his horse jaw dropped. _She was beautiful. Gorgeous._  Her eyes were the deepest of blue in color and filled with tears, as she reached for a small, silver harp that was by her barely covered feet. She was exceptionally slender and looked like a fragile porcelain doll with high cheekbones, a small, perfectly formed mouth, and very soft, yet delicate features. Small, perfect fingers plucked the strings, and he found himself drawn to the music. He had no choice. He had to step out of hiding. On seeing him approach, she gasped and dropped the harp.

Time seemed to stand still between them.  _Should I change back to human form? Should I flee?_ She was simply in too much shock to see a unicorn of old standing before her.  _But, why was this stallion green?! Normally they were white or coal black at times. Not green!_ Beast Boy thought to himself and decided to do something to show he meant no harm. He moved up next to her, tucked in his legs to lie down, and placed his head in her lap. He had read that unicorns were known to do this to virgin girls. He didn't know if she was one or not, but this seemed to snap her out of her trance.

"Who are you?!" she demanded. "Are you a trickster sent by the Unseelie Court to test me?!"

At this, Beast Boy got up and reverted to his human form. Unlike before, she was still visible to him now, and the grove didn't disappear. Being a unicorn and seeing her broke something that bound her to be invisible to him, as well as the landscape.

"My name is Beast Boy. I have the ability to change into animals. I'm a Titan," he said.

"A...Titan?" she frowned.  _I thought titans were giants!_

"Yeah. Um...why are you out here? All alone?" he asked.

"You..." she started and gasped with shock. "You can see me! You can hear me! Oh...!"

"Am I not supposed to?" he frowned.

"No...you're not..." she shivered and started to cry. He knelt into a squatting position before her with a heavy frown on his face. She clearly didn't know what to say or do.

"You said you were cursed. How? Is there a way to break it?" he asked.

"Ah..." she shivered and recollected herself, a hand pressed to her chest. "There may be a way now! My curse is in two parts. All in a riddle, but I deciphered it. The first part was that an animal, yet not animal; human, yet not human, would be the first link to break the curse. On top of that, the creature had to be one of mystical qualities, hence, the unicorn that you just were. Only a mystical creature could see me, but could not be a true mystical creature. Thus, you being human. At least, I think you're human. You must be, if you can see me. The second part is difficult. The one who saw me must convince another that I exist. That I'm real. Then that other must be brought before me as quickly as possible."

"Oh, brother!" Beast Boy groaned. "And, knowing my track record, no one would believe me! Raven would think I have an over-active imagination from reading that book, and, yeah, I do have that. Cyborg would think I'm dying for attention. Starfire would play along like it was joke. Robin would give me the crazy look! If only there was someone who could read my mind...! Wait! There is!"

"What?" she frowned.

"Your curse will be gone by tonight!" he promised. "I said this before, but my name is Beast Boy. Ah, what's your name? So I can talk about you."

"My name is Ambrosia," she said softly. "I...will not expect anything. I cannot."

"I understand that. Just give me an hour," he said.

"You have until dawn. I only appear on full moon nights in the spring once every century. The fact that you even found me at all was just a stroke of luck! In two nights, when the moon is at its peak, it will signal over eleven hundred years of my curse," she winced.

"Eleven...hundred...um...wow..." he said and shook his head to come back to the present. "Okay. I'll be back as fast as I can!"

"As long as the moon is in the sky, I will be here," she nodded. "Not like I can go anywhere, anyways. I am bound to this spot."

"You are?! Wait...ah...tell me when I get a friend. Okay?!" he said.

"Of course," she nodded. He shifted into his green owl form to fly off, and she gaped with surprise. As he flew away, she could only hope that he found someone who believed him. She looked up at the moon and winced.  _Almost a quarter of the night was gone._   _If he can't make it back to me tonight, it would have to be by tomorrow._  She knew that her curse was bound to the visibility of the moon once every hundred years. If he failed to bring back another in two nights, she would be trapped again.

All that Beast Boy could think of as he flew was to find Jericho. The mute Titan had the ability to go into his mind.  _He could see my memories._ He could also access his powers, too, and that made him a valuable ally and a dangerous enemy if on the wrong side. Flying over the top of the Titan Tower, he swooped down on Jericho just as he was about to head inside before the defenses went up. Jericho ducked and glared at Beast Boy. He thought it was a cruel joke.

"Wait! Jericho! I need your help!" Beast Boy said, as he reverted human and grabbed his hand. "Please, just hear me out! I'm being serious here! If you don't believe me, look in my head!"

Jericho blinked at this and paused.  _Look in Beast Boy's head?! Do I want to go crazy?_

"Please, Jericho, we don't have much time!" he panicked. "I met a girl. In the forest. Her name is Ambrosia. I don't know where she's from, but she's cursed and on a time limit! I saw her as a unicorn! I know. It sounds crazy. It  _is_  crazy! But it's true! I broke a part of her curse by being able to see her as a mystical animal, but I wasn't a true animal. Now I need to break the rest of it by convincing someone to show that I'm talking the truth and to bring that someone to her. The others will all see me as a whacko nut job, if I told them about this! You're the only one I know of that can see that I'm talking the truth! Please? Look at my memories?! You have to trust me on this!"

Jericho paused at this with concern. _It was rare for Beast Boy to sound so upset and surprisingly honest about what he saw. The last time he was like this was when we all teamed up to defeat the Brotherhood of Evil. Beast Boy was being serious right now and truly needed help._ He sighed with a nod and gestured for Beast Boy to look into his eyes. When the connection was made, Jericho's body became ethereal, and he sank into the green boy's body. With the possession in effect, Beast Boy's eyes appeared black with glowing green pupils.

"Okay, give me a moment," Jericho said with Beast Boy's voice.

"Okay," Beast Boy said. He had no control over his movements right now, but he was conscious through it all. Jericho scanned through what was seen and heard. Then he gasped in recognition.  _The dimming light in my dream! This girl was the source! She had to be!_

"I've seen enough!" Jericho winced. "What is your fastest form to fly with?!"

"Hawk," Beast Boy said quickly. "But, we need the owl. It's the best way to see right now."

"Fine," Jericho said and shifted the possessed body into the owl. He recalled the memories of where the girl was and flew in that direction. She was still there on her stump in silent meditation. She looked up with complete shock at the owl's return. Beast Boy was shifted back to human, and Jericho separated from his body to stand next to him.

"This is Jericho. He was able to see my memories," Beast Boy said with a grin.

"Jericho?" she frowned. He nodded and bowed to her. He could see she was stunning, but that didn't really make him stare at her. He knew how others were below the surface, and that was what he would judge her by. Her actions, and possibly her memories, would show her true colors to him.

"He's mute while like this. He could talk before, but, well, it's a long story," Beast Boy shrugged. "Um, is your curse broken now?"

"I..." she blinked and found her body was lighter.  _I'm not weighed down anymore!_ She stood up and fell over. Beast Boy was quick to catch her and Jericho was at her side to help.

"You've been sitting down for a long time, huh?" he asked.

"Yes. I have..." she grimaced. Jericho winced and looked around. He made a gesture to Beast Boy to her harp on the ground.  _Was it hers?_

"Oh, do you have anything you need here? You may as well come home with us until we find out what else we can do for you," Beast Boy said.

"The harp is mine. Ah...a bag nearby is also mine..." she cringed.

"Jericho will get them. Get on my back, okay? I'll carry you," he said. "Do you like elephants?"

"What?" she asked with confusion. Jericho made a gesture of his finger on his forehead in the shape of a single horn. At first he didn't get it, but, after a few more animal-like gestures, he understood.

"Oh! Okay!" Beast Boy nodded and became the unicorn form. He whinnied and nodded. Jericho found the bag that belonged to her and picked up the silver harp. He looked at her questionably.

"No. That was it," she said. He jumped up behind her to securely place his arms around her. A pat to Beast Boy's head was given, and the unicorn took off quickly. She couldn't believe her luck!  _My curse was finally broken! I am free!_  Yet, she knew that the one that made the curse would find her gone.  _I may be searched for relentlessly._   _That would happen on the peak of the full moon._  Yet, it would be sooner than she thought. At the break of her curse, the stump glowed a dark red before turning to ash. The runic symbol at the bottom of it was now destroyed and seared into the earth from the lack of weight. The one that placed the curse was now notified and heavily pissed off that the prize was gone.

Beast Boy became his griffin form to fly over the ocean waters with them to reach the island the Titan Tower was on. In the shape of a T, it was easy to recognize. He landed, and Jericho helped Ambrosia down. On feeling the ground under her feet, she staggered, and he caught her to support her. Beast Boy became human and thought.

"Let me see if my window is still open. Hopefully, Cyborg's window thingy didn't go off yet," he said. "I'll be right back!"

"Okay," she nodded. Jericho nodded with a slight smile. She looked at him as Beast Boy flew off and she frowned. "You cannot speak?"

He shook his head. She frowned and looked away. As he continued to support her, she whispered, "I fear that the one who placed this curse on me will search for me. I...may endanger a lot of beings. I do not want that to happen."

He looked at her with alarm, but narrowed his eyes to show he would protect her. She found herself blushing a bit, and they looked at the door as it opened.

"You're lucky that I was still awake and heard you pecking at the window!" Cyborg said to Beast Boy. Then he gaped at the girl that Jericho held. "Ah...who's your friend?"

"Someone that you wouldn't have believed me about if I tried to tell you!" Beast Boy said with a small puff of irritation. "We need to have a meeting. It's important."

"I guess it is," Cyborg said and watched Jericho help support the dirty, yet beautiful girl inside.

"Did you want a bath?" Beast Boy asked.

"Maybe after my story is told," she said. "I...should not delay in it."

"Okay. I'll go wake up people!" Beast Boy grinned.

"No, let me do it," Cyborg said. "If you do it, they'll think it's a false alarm."

"Hey!" he pouted. Jericho gave a small shake of his head, and she looked at him curiously.

"He has a tendency to get on everyone's nerves," Cyborg grinned.

"Shut up! I don't do that...all the time," Beast Boy mumbled.

"If it wasn't for him, I'd be trapped for another hundred years," Ambrosia said softly. "I would trust his words with my life right now."

"Ah...wow...okay..." Cyborg blinked. He led them to the main meeting room, and Jericho sat with her on a circular couch. Beast Boy sat with them, and Cyborg went to call a late night meeting.

"I don't know what to say," she whispered. "Or how to begin."

"Just tell them the truth of what happened," Beast Boy shrugged. "What else is there to say?"

She nodded, and Jericho kept an arm around her slender waist. Beast Boy noticed this and frowned. Jericho glanced at him with a knowing look. She was confused, but found herself stared at by Raven, Starfire, and Robin. Herald was away in his dimensional realm for now, since that was where he slept. Ambrosia was clearly nervous, but Jericho squeezed her gently. He was starting to like her.

"Uh..." Robin blinked at the sight of the dirty, bedraggled, beautiful, pointy-eared girl. He was completely speechless at her beauty. He saw how Jericho kept an arm around her waist, and it didn't seem to sit right with him. Starfire looked at him curiously, and Robin shrugged back.

"Okay. Are you an Elf or something?" Raven asked, as she floated in the air to sit.

"Oh! You have heard of the Fae?" Ambrosia blinked. "The Elven Courts? The Fae Realms?"

"I read about them. Beast Boy. You got the idea to look for them. Didn't you?" Raven asked.

"Uh...maybe?" Beast Boy grinned sheepishly. "I actually liked the book you lent me."

"Then, for that, you have my thanks," Ambrosia nodded.

"You said something about being trapped for another century?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes," Ambrosia nodded.

"Oh! Where are the manners we lack?!" Starfire frowned. "I am Starfire! From the planet, Tamaran! I give you greetings!"

"Thank you," she smiled.

"This is Robin. He is our leader!" Starfire said. Robin gave a small smile and nodded.

"I am Raven," she said, as she introduced herself.

"This is Cyborg! He is very talented!" Starfire said, as she hovered over him.

"Hi! I'm sure you met Beast Boy and Jericho," Cyborg grinned.

"Yes. If it wasn't for Beast Boy or Jericho, I would not be here now," she nodded. "I am Ambrosia, princess of the Fae Court of the far Eastern half of the Fae Realms. My Father is...was...King Tintagel of the Fae Realms. My Mother...was..."

"It's okay," Beast Boy said. Jericho patted her hand to encourage her to continue.

"My Mother was Queen Esmiralda of the Fae Realms, too. I had brothers and sisters. Quite a few, in fact. I was one of the youngest. I was also the most beautiful out of them all. I was courted by both human and Fae alike, but I was already betrothed and I loved him dearly. All of this was so long ago...almost eleven hundred years ago, in fact..." she whispered.

"Eleven hundred years ago?!" Robin asked.

"Yes," she said with a small, tinkling giggle with her delicate, chiming voice. "But...well..."

"When did the curse happen?" Cyborg asked.

"That is what I want to know, too," Raven nodded.

"Just take your time. We have all night," Beast Boy said. Jericho nodded, and Starfire gave a smile of encouragement. Robin settled himself to listen closely and intently.

"Well, in order to tell you properly, we must go back to the day that was to be my wedding day," Ambrosia said softly. "It was approaching sunset over my home. An hour after sunset, in fact, so it was just becoming nightfall, if I remember clearly. The streamers and banners were in place to signal the celebration, and the hill was raised up over the castle to allow others in as the sun went down. The night was starting to begin with happiness as the sun set. It was hard for me to sleep the rest of the day away, since I was so excited! My maids had set me up in my Mother's wedding gown to make sure it fit me for the moonlight wedding. It was handed down from generation to generation, you see. It is the same with her crown. In fact, they are in my bag...but I'll see about showing them to you all later. It's the same with my family heirlooms, too, so..."

"We won't touch them. Go on," Raven said.

"Right..." Ambrosia shivered. "I am rambling. I apologize. It's still painful. Anyways, the day of my wedding. Or, night, I should say. My betrothed was unable to see me, as most traditions go. I was to see him, as I walked down the aisle. Like I said before, I had hundreds of suitors. One of them was from the Unseelie Court. He was a young Elven Fae of sorts. A half-breed of the races. However, he was looked down on, since Fae are honest, and Elves tended to be tricksters and pranksters. Like Pixies, but not as harsh in their ways. It was even worse, since he was a part of the Unseelie Court. He was handsome, smart, and strong enough, but I did not love him. I loved my betrothed. This one would always try to sway my heart, but I would always refuse. He wasn't even royalty! He finally decided to prove how much he desired me.

"He tried to...interrupt my wedding ceremony before it happened. He succeeded. Normally, I would have slept fully during the day, but I was so excited! Like I said before, I simply couldn't sleep and wanted to try on my Mother's dress to make sure that it fit properly. And there were others getting ready, too, to see how everything would go. So, just as the hill rose up when the last rays of the sun left it, when I finally woke in full and was being fitted for my wedding dress, he appeared before me. It is not allowed for any male to see a bride when getting ready for their wedding, regardless of what time it was, and he broke the rule."

"This guy tried to crash your wedding?!" Cyborg blinked.

"If that is the term for you, then, yes. He did," she nodded. "He saw me in my wedding gown and family jewels. He vowed that I was the only thing that would ever move his heart. He vowed that I was the only one that could bring him joy. I told him that what he said was nice, but I was not marrying him. That I could not return his affections. Then he...he offered to give me an early wedding gift. I told him I wanted no gifts that he was offering, but he ignored my words. He said I would accept it, regardless of my wishes. Then he opened up a little black box, and I remembered nothing afterwards.

"When I woke up, the chamber was empty. The place felt...older. I felt that something was wrong! I ran to where my Father and betrothed would have been waiting for me, but..."

"What was there?" Robin asked carefully.

"Bodies...!" she whimpered and cringed. "My Father. My Mother. My brothers and sisters. My betrothed. My Fae clan and friends. They were all dead! Stripped of their jewels and clothes! The suitor who wanted me, the half-Fae, he approached me with my betrothed's crown. I was in shock. Fae crowns are slightly cursed so that they can never be removed unless the wearer died. It was symbolic to us. My betrothed...he was a prince of his people and well-loved. He was crowned as their prince and King, because of how well-loved he was! But, when I saw his crown...I screamed! This traitor told me to put it on his head so that I could be Queen with him as my King, and I refused him outright!

"I blamed him for the deaths of my Fae clan and kin. He...he said that he didn't kill anyone. That I simply passed out with joy from seeing his gift, but I knew it was a lie. It was dark magic that he used to enchant me. The entire place stank of the Unseelie Court! It was as though the box he had opened had summoned them, and they swept through to kill everyone but myself. To say that I felt betrayed and outraged is just...well..."

"That's cold!" Cyborg growled. Jericho was wincing for her pain.

"Unseelie Court? I've never heard of it. You mentioned it a few times, but, well, what is it? Can you explain it to us?" Robin frowned.

"It is a Court comprised of evil spirits, souls, and various races that love to provoke mischief and mayhem for the fun of tormenting others. They are the cause of bad luck and vile emotions. They play pranks and harm others for their own amusements. The Seelie Court is what good races are comprised of, like mine of the Fae, and others that wish only good to others. We have no offense towards anyone, and offer help and peace. The Unseelie Court...pray that you are never targeted by them!" she shuddered.

"I see," Robin frowned. "Anyways, as you were saying?"

"Yes. This creature of evil...he said that I may either accept my fate as his Queen or go with exile. 'As if anyone would believe a princess!' he said. So, I chose exile. And he cursed me. He told me that, the moment I sat down to rest, no matter where I was, I would never leave that spot. No matter how hard I tried, I would be unable to leave. He...told me that...I could ask him to do three things before my exile. I said that I wanted him to give me all of the clothes that were stolen. I wanted him to give me all of the treasures that were stolen. And I wanted him to allow me to keep everything that I wore on my body currently. He wasn't very pleased, and neither were the ones that stole from my family's bodies. He had no choice but to agree to what I asked. He was not expecting any of it. He was expecting me to beg him to release myself of his curse. I already knew he would have declined that. So, I asked for my Fae clan's rightful items back. No matter how much he wanted to, he could not deny me what was rightfully mine. His word forced him to agree with my choices."

"But, it was his agreement," Raven mused. "That was clever."

"The bag here is enchanted to hold everything, you see. It was one of the treasures that was stolen. It holds everything down to the last coin and treasure that was taken. Even down to the last spool of thread, to the tiniest crumb of food or cup of water. I didn't want to wear out my Mother's wedding dress, so I had to make my own clothes. They weren't much, but it was something. Thankfully, I still had most of my good dresses, so I didn't have to make too much. But, all the same, if I wanted new clothes, I had to make my own. I had to do this while standing up," she nodded. "There is only one thing that he kept that I still hate to this day."

"What's that?" Beast Boy asked.

"My deceased betrothed's crown," she shivered. "Since it wasn't rightfully mine, I could not claim it. I was able to claim the crowns of my Mother and Father. Luckily, my Mother's crown was intact, as it was ready for me. My Father's...well...I can show you later. When the curse started, I stayed standing up for as long as I could. I leaned on things. I was able to sneak around the curse of sitting by getting on my hands and knees to lay down. But, no one was able to see me, though. No one could hear me, either. I could not handle any items, save my own, so I could not write out my story to any Elders.

"The only thing I could do was try to survive. To live. So, it was easy to take a ship to travel from one land to the next. I was able to evade the brunt of the full curse for ten years. But, I let my guard down in the forest where I was found. The grove that was there was so calm and peaceful...I felt that I simply had to sit down and rest. I was weary of running, standing, and laying down constantly. The moment I sat down on that stump in the forest, my body felt weighted down. I couldn't move.

"The curse had started. He approached me when it happened. He said that he would lift the curse, if I became his Queen and placed my deceased betrothed's crown upon his head. I declined. He vowed that every hundred years he would come for me to ask for my hand. I told him he would leave with nothing. What was even harder was that I was only able to be approached near the century that the curse loop happened. I was...trapped in a form of darkness when I declined him after three nights of moonlight. I could not be seen during the day, which was fine. But, to not be seen on any nights that the moon was out? It was a mockery to me, being a Fae of the Moon! And, to add even worse to this insult was to be trapped in a beautiful setting and unable to do anything.

"Yet, I was able to play my harp and work with my hair. But, in the darkness, I was cold and lonely. There was nothing I could do. I could only sleep and hope that time would pass quickly for me. Every time he appeared when I sat in the moonlight on that third night, he would give me a piece of a riddle to unlock my curse. When I got the whole thing, I felt it was hopeless. Who was animal, yet not an animal? Who was human, yet not human? Mystical animals were rare and hard to find as it was when he told me what sort of animal it had to be! And, on top of that, who would take the step to believe the wild tale of a Fae caught by a curse, much less approach me? If it wasn't for Beast Boy and Jericho, I would still be bound to that stump. I would still be cursed as of now."

"When was the next century up?" Robin asked.

"In two nights when the moon is at its peak," she sighed. "I fear he may try to look for me."

"Let him try," Cyborg growled. "We'll be waiting!"

"If you were trapped for a long time, how did you eat?" Starfire asked.

"The curse was like a time-loop," Ambrosia sighed. "I felt no thirst or hunger in it."

"Well, you're going to get hungry and thirsty now," Beast Boy frowned. "What do you eat?"

"I cannot digest the flesh of animals. I am a being of Nature and thus, will get violently ill if I tried," she said. Beast Boy gave a happy squeal and ran off to the kitchen. He came back with a tofu burger. She blinked at it, but Jericho was smiling with a nod.

"I don't eat meat, either!" Beast Boy said. "This is called a tofu burger! It's bread with a bean paste that is very high in protein! It's just like meat, but it isn't!"

"Really?" Ambrosia marveled. "Normally, I would eat a rich form of honey, but I doubt that can be made or even found. Um...how do you eat this?"

"Like this!" Beast Boy said, as he brought out another burger and chomped into it happily. Jericho sighed and took the untouched burger from Beast Boy. He made gestures for utensils and a plate. Starfire got them for him, and now he showed Ambrosia how to cut it up.

"I think this is better for me," she smiled. She paused at the taste of it and found it enjoyable. "I think this will work for me!"

"It's better when you tear into it, though," Beast Boy frowned.

"Maybe for you," she smiled and finished the burger. "To drink, normal water is good enough."

"How about soda?" Cyborg grinned.

"Soda?" she blinked.

"This is going to be a long night," Raven sighed. "You can read, right?"

"I am literate," she nodded. "Very literate, in fact."

"Then maybe we can speed things up. How fast can you read?" she asked.

"Quite fast," Ambrosia smiled. "Ah...let me drink some water, and then I need to bathe. I'll need to make some new clothing, too. I would have changed clothes, but...being unable to move...and my dress is not a top and bottom, but a whole..."

"Right," Robin nodded. "We'll set you up with a room."

"Okay," she said. Water was given to her now to quench her thirst. When she was ready for her bath, she moved to stand, but she cried out from the pain in her legs. Jericho was quick to catch her and carry her in his arms. He frowned at her and looked at Cyborg.

"Oh...that's right. Over a thousand years of sitting. You have no muscle in your legs, right?" Cyborg frowned. "I'll make a special chair to help you until you get your strength back."

"Yes. Of course..." she whimpered.

"But, if she was frozen in time," Raven thought.

"I came forth once every hundred years. To try to be seen, remember? My hunger, thirst, and aging may have been stalled, but I kept my arms and hands strong by playing my harp and fixing my hair. I could do nothing for my legs," she sighed. That made Raven blink, and she nodded.

"I'll find some good books for you to read. To help you get caught up on current events," Raven promised. "I'm not going to help you bathe, though."

"I can help you! Ow! I was kidding!" Beast Boy growled at Raven's direct smack to the back of his head. Ambrosia sighed and giggled a bit.

"I will help clean her!" Starfire said. "I will share my place of resting and personal space with her until then. Jericho? Can I take her from you to help her?"

Jericho frowned and shook his head. He was going to carry her.

"You know, if it wasn't for me then you wouldn't know about her!" Beast Boy scowled. Jericho sat down with her next to him, and he gestured for something to write with. A pad of paper and a pen was given to him, and he started to write. He would have done sign language, but not many of them knew what he would say, and he wanted Ambrosia to understand. When he finished, he kept the pad and pen, but he gave the paper he wrote on to Cyborg.

"He says, 'I've been having a strange dream from the start of the year. It starts with a bright light that fades out to nothing. When I try to reach for it, it disappears, and I hear laughter. I would wake up right after in an intensely cold sweat. At first, it was every now and then. Then I had this dream almost every night for the past month. I think she is the light in my dreams and her curse is the darkness.' Jericho, when were you going to tell us about this?! This is important!" Cyborg said.

"A dream like that  _is_  important!" Robin frowned. "Did you ever catch this light?"

At the shake of Jericho's head, Ambrosia was deep in thought. Then she gave a heart-wrenching gasp of shock. She was pale and trembling all over now. Jericho looked at her with concern.

"That dream...it was...the same one that my...that my betrothed had...a week before my wedding to him...!" she shivered, and Jericho gaped now. The others were in the same shock. "He told me about it! He said he felt something...bad...and that he feared for his life and mine! I didn't...I didn't know what to think then. Now..."

Jericho put his hand on hers, and she gazed into his eyes. He turned ethereal and possessed her.

"Jericho! What are you doing?!" Robin growled.

"I'm checking her memories for something. Ambrosia, I will never hurt you. I vow on my life. I need to see when you were told this. There may be something important that I can link from then to here," Jericho said with her voice. Ambrosia gave a consenting sound and let him search her memories.

"You'd better not do anything stupid!" Beast Boy warned.

"I would not dream of harming the girl I've come to love," Jericho sighed. That made everyone gape again. "I see! The dreams that I've been having did reflect your curse! The one you loved before was given a warning, and it was ignored, because it didn't come to pass. But, it was enough to put him on edge. And the time of your wedding...that black box. It's the key to everything. There was something in it. Something vile. It not only cursed you, but it bound you to it. Every time you refused that guy, you were locked away in the box. It seems that he always carried it before..."

"So, regardless of where I sat, I would end up in that box at his side?!" Ambrosia gasped.

"It appears so. You don't remember, since you blacked out, but I can now see the mist that surrounded you as you blacked out. It's faint, but it's there. We destroy the box, we destroy the curse for good. I don't know if you're fully free of it or not. I'd like to go back to where that stump is that we found you on to take a look around. He did something to it. You don't recall, but you caught him doing something to the stump you sat on. It triggered something. Also, it seems that you felt you were being sucked away and locked up in darkness after each release to the stump. That was the box letting you out and sucking you back inside it. And...your wedding day...I...oh, no...!"

"What?!" Robin asked. "Tell us what you see!"

"The bodies! The decay they're in! It was as though they were killed for years! Not just that day! At least a good twenty years had passed when you saw them! It was as though he trapped you first to ensure you would have no chance to bring them back! I...what a monster!" Jericho raged in her chiming voice. "Fae have the ability to bring back their own, if the bodies are fresh and they were killed unjustly. She could have appealed to other Fae to help her with this. It was as though he purposely trapped you away long enough for all hope to be lost! I am so sorry..."

"If he comes here, he'll have more than a curse to worry about!" Raven glowered.

"This is a murder mystery that has spent centuries untouched," Robin frowned. "Ambrosia, do you remember where your home was? Maybe we can go back and see it?"

"I wouldn't recommend it," she winced. Jericho reformed next to her to hug her tight. "It could be a trap. Fae magic is exceptionally strong. If one is seen as an intruder, they could be ripped apart to shreds by it alone. I don't know if the palace under my old hill even exists now. Or what the defensive state of it is. I would need to see a map of the land and decide for sure."

"We'll figure it out," Raven said. "I have some books to research. I want that book back, Beast Boy. I need to study it."

"Can I help?!" Beast Boy asked with a grin.

"I don't know why...but I'll accept it. No funny stuff!" Raven warned.

"Taking a chance, Raven," Cyborg grinned.

"Quiet..." Raven muttered. She walked away, and Cyborg grinned even wider.

"I don't know what we're up against. This is what really bothers me," Robin admitted. "I don't think we have what it takes for ancient fairy tale magic! I'm going to contact a few Titans. Maybe all of them. Hopefully they won't think I'm turning into Beast Boy with wild tales."

"I heard that!" Beast Boy shouted, and Robin chuckled.

"Do you know of any magic, Ambrosia?" Starfire asked.

"I should, you would think, but I honestly don't. Nothing really impressive or worth mentioning. Powerful magic is denied to young Fae for safety reasons, unless they were born with the skill to use it. If anything, my family heirlooms may possess some magic. Or, Fae energy, as we called it. I will need to clean the jewels during the day. The same must be done for my wedding dress. The dress is made of moon crystals. They are crystals harvested by Pixies in the light of the moon around sunset and sunrise. Full moons yield the best ones, though. They are truly frozen drops of dew from the chill of the moon, and Pixies are delicate enough to harvest them. Of course, that's when they aren't playing pranks on anyone. The crystals can come in various colors and sizes, too.

"Dwarves would then take the most perfect of the crystals and craft them into special beads for clothing or full crystals for jewelry. All of my jewelry is made of moon crystals, but the dress is different, due to the beads. There is no spot on my Mother's wedding dress that is without one. When the crystals are charged, they glitter and magnify my presence. It was a special preparation to be done by the bride on her wedding day. Even on royal outings, which is why we gave off the 'glowing effect' in the forests at night. As for my jewelry, the charge is long gone, and the crystals are a touch dirty from neglect. I need to clean them before I can charge them again. Normally, I would be cleaning them once a year the moment they needed it, but...well, it was hard to do if I couldn't move around."

Jericho gave her a squeeze and lifted her up in his arms to carry her. Starfire was clearly distressed for her new friend. She thought and led them to her room.

"So, this one that cursed you. He is still alive?" she asked.

"Yes," Ambrosia nodded. "He hasn't aged, either. Then again, Fae folk and Elven folk rarely show off old age. They can if they grow a beard, but that's rare unless they have a strain of human blood in them. Normally, only Kings, elder nobles, and powerful wizards do such a thing to show respect and lineage. A beard is also a form of power to some. They were mainly worn as powerful, realistic illusions if there was no human strain introduced to them. I really don't want to think of myself being the last true Fae in this land. I don't know how I would take it."

Jericho gave her another squeeze, and she blushed. Something told her that he wasn't going to allow anyone else to have her.  _He saw the same dream that my betrothed had when he was alive. There had to be a reason for it..._

"Here is my personal space!" Starfire beamed, and she opened the door to her room. "Jericho, it saddens me to say that you are not allowed past this doorway."

Jericho frowned and looked at Ambrosia.

"I'll be fine," she smiled and hugged him. "I'm sure you can sit outside the door? If anything happens, I will call for you. Oh! You can see if there is a room for me with a good view of the moon? It will be needed for my crystals. Moonlight is a key energy source, since my crystals are made from the moon, and only moonlight can charge them up properly. As I just said not long ago."

That made him nod. Starfire was able to take her into the room and close the door. Jericho sighed and leaned back against the wall. _I know I love her._  He won't let anyone else touch her. There was something he saw in her memories that hit close to home with him. On recalling it, he shivered with a form of excitement.  _Her old betrothed looked almost exactly like me. The hair was much lighter in a silvery way, and longer, too._ Very straight from what he saw. Of course, the ears were pointed, where his were round. The form and build of the body was the same as his own, though.  _And his face! Did she know how much I looked like the one from her past?!_ He was sure she did. In fact, he knew she didn't make the connection yet. When it happened, he knew she wouldn't know what to think. The only difference that he could recall, other than the hair and ears, were the eyes. Jericho's eyes were green. The other's eyes were a pastel blue.

There was something else that bothered him now.  _The one that stalked her from her past was still alive. He would be looking for her._ Then Jericho got a wicked idea. He knew what her old love wore in the past now.  _Maybe I can design an outfit like that one? Surely, it would throw off her pursuer long enough for me to get close._   _Then he could be possessed, and the truth of what happened could be gleaned from those memories._  A grin on his face now, he would have to see if he could borrow some of her thread.  _It would have to be the same thread used back in the day._ He was sure he could straighten out his hair with some good conditioner. It was long enough to fool anyone, but it was a bit thick and curled up in places.  _Water it down and keep it still..._ He was starting to like his idea more and more.

Then he thought, as he recalled the intense sadness he felt in her mind.  _She needed to grieve._   _She had to grieve. Everything was cooped up for so long in her head that it was hurting her._ After this, he knew there would be no other choice in it. Now he was thinking of finding the room she needed. Then he would wait outside Starfire's door until he knew that it was safe to fetch her. As much as he didn't want to walk into someone's room uninvited, he needed to do this for Ambrosia.

As his plan started to form into something he could work with, Ambrosia was busy undoing the dirty locks of hair she had bound behind her head. Her longest strand of hair was over six feet long. It was longer than her own body by a good foot and a half!

"I have never seen hair grow like this!" Starfire blinked.

"Fae Folk seldom cut their hair back," Ambrosia smiled. "Apparently, though I didn't age, my hair kept growing. Odd, now that I think about it. I always worked my hair into various designs before. It helped to keep my arms strong."

"We shall make your legs strong again," Starfire smiled. "Silkie! There you are! Come here, my little bumgorf! Come and meet a new friend! This is Silkie! He is my bumgorf!"

"What?" Ambrosia blinked at the large, yellow caterpillar snuggling Starfire. He looked over at her and sniffed her. Then he seemed to purr and tried to escape Starfire's arms to go towards her. His mouth was filled with large, sharp teeth, but he seemed so docile that he was a cuddle-bug now. He had a collar around his neck with a large heart ID tag that had his name on it.

"Silkie wants to see you, it seems!" Starfire giggled and let the caterpillar move to snuggle into Ambrosia's arms. "You are good with animals?"

"Well, as a being associated with Nature, I am friends with all animals," she nodded. "Um...what is Silkie, exactly?"

"Silkie is my little bumgorf! That's what Silkie is!" Starfire beamed. "But, otherwise, he was a creation of an enemy by the name of Killer Moth. Beast Boy rescued Silkie, and now Silkie is with us!"

"Oh," Ambrosia smiled. "Well, Silkie, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Silkie gave her a purring grin and snuggled into her some more. Starfire took out a brush and began to brush out Ambrosia's hair. She winced at a few tangles and snares, but the pain never lasted very long. She tended to keep her hair neat. Once it was all straight and smooth, it was quickly soaked in water and washed. Ambrosia sighed and frowned a bit.

"What is wrong? Am I too rough?" Starfire asked.

"No. I should be doing this myself. I should not have you doing this for me."

"No problems, friend Ambrosia! You are helping me with Silkie! So, I will help you with your hair! We can think of this as a trade."

"Oh! Okay. I can think of it like that."

"So, tell me," Starfire giggled. "from one princess to another, what was your betrothed like?"

"Ah..." she frowned and shivered.

"I am sorry. It still causes you pain," Starfire frowned.

"No. It's okay. He...actually looked quite a bit like Jericho. Now that I think about it."

"Is that true?!" she gasped with delight.

"Yes. Of course, his ears were pointed. His hair was long and more silver-white in color, as well as straight. It almost came down to his waist. And his eyes were like the color of a clear, crisp morning sky. But...everything else looks almost the same. I now have to wonder if there was a true connection with why Jericho got the dream my old love had long ago."

"You think Jericho is your old love reborn?"

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

"It would be nice if he was. Yes?"

"I still wouldn't know," she sighed. "So much has happened in so short of a time. There is much that I don't know. I have missed out on a thousand years, and I'm lucky that I can even speak your language! I think the curse had something to do with that. I know that I did speak any language easily when I traveled the world during the evasion of my curse years. Even then, when my curse broke in the grove, I simply knew how to speak this language. Still, I will need to learn much of the world's history."

"Raven will help with that," Starfire nodded. "I am still learning many of Earth's ways, too. I am from another planet."

"Yes. From Tamaran. Could you tell me a bit about your planet?"

"Oh, definitely!" Starfire beamed, and Ambrosia now wondered if she made a mistake. The next two hours were spent with her hair and skin getting scrubbed clean, as well as getting a crash course in Tamaranian history. She didn't know how to respond to various things, but she knew enough to smile, nod, and shrug if she had to. She was glad that she paid attention to her Fae Court lessons around various powerful figures that liked to brag about themselves! The tub was actually drained and refilled twice from all the dirt that was caked on her. When her bath was done, she was dried off carefully and given a nightgown to wear. She blinked at the feel of rough cotton and didn't like it.

"I think I might have something better suited for me," Ambrosia smiled.

"You do not like the clothes of Earth?" Starfire asked.

"It's not that. My skin is too sensitive for this cloth. It has been a long time since I wore anything else. And, now that my skin is clean, it is far more sensitive than normal, you see. Let me see if I have something," she said and moved for her bag. Starfire brought it to her, since she couldn't walk, and Ambrosia took it gratefully. She opened it and started to move through it. Starfire gaped when Ambrosia put most of her body into the bag and seemed to disappear within it. "Ah! Here we are! One of my old sleeping gowns will work! And it's still in good condition!"

"That bag is really magic!" Starfire gaped.

"Yes. Old magic," she nodded and pulled out the gown of pale green. She slipped it over her slender form, and it molded to her simple curves neatly.

"This gown is lovely!" Starfire said. "It looks too nice to sleep in."

"Oh? Well, it is designed for sleeping in," she smiled. "All Fae have them. No matter what ranking they are. It's mainly thread woven into the softest form of silk. This will not hurt my skin."

"Come here and look! You look so clean now!" Starfire grinned. Ambrosia frowned, and the mirror was brought to her. She gazed at herself in the mirror, and she looked away. With the dirt and grime removed from her hair and skin, her fantastic beauty returned in full. Her dirty white hair was now silvery with a touch of gold. Her skin held the color of the palest of creams and looked like fine porcelain. Her face even held a tinge of a rosy blush from the heat of the bath. This very blush stained the top of her cheeks and darkened her lips alluringly. Long, thick, and dark lashes framed her deep blue eyes with utter perfection. The beauty from long ago was back, and now she was upset. Starfire saw her friend's frown, and she asked, "Are you not clean? Did I do a bad job?"

"No. You did very well," she said. "I am just...afraid now. I am clean, and I am beautiful again. I always remained in my room long ago to keep from being seen. My betrothed long ago...he saw past my beauty. He saw me for me. That was what I truly loved about him. He didn't need me to be beautiful. He loved me the way I was. Even when I was dirty, my beauty was still apparent. Now it will be even more so."

"Why would this be bad?" Starfire asked, as she sat down next to her.

"It was said that wars could be fought for the affection of a single woman. It...happened before. I do not wish for it to happen again. I know that history is rare to repeat itself, but it is always possible."

"Jericho seems to be attached to you. I do not think that he will let many try to be near you. It was hard enough just to let him agree to let me help you!"

"I know," Ambrosia said with a soft blush.

"So, do you sleep?" Starfire smiled.

"Fae normally don't need to sleep. We can, if completely exhausted, but it's optional. I think I will start cleaning my jewels. I have the means to do so now. I will be fine," Ambrosia smiled back. Starfire yawned and Silkie was already in the bed waiting to snuggle her. When Starfire fell asleep, Ambrosia sighed sadly. She was too afraid to sleep. There were so many things haunting her mind now that it would be nearly impossible. She gasped softly when the door opened. When she saw it was Jericho, she blinked with surprise.

He made a quieting motion with his hands, and she nodded. He gathered up her bag, her harp, and finally her. He made sure she was secure in his arms before carrying her out and closing the door. He also made sure that her hair wasn't touching the floor while he carried her. He didn't want her clean hair to get dirty again. She frowned at him, but he smiled with confidence. She was brought to a room with a large window facing west. The moon was easily seen through here, and she smiled with a nod.

"Thank you, Jericho," she blushed. "Um...what will Starfire think when she finds me gone?"

He seemed to grin and shrug. That made her giggle, and she realized that he wasn't showing any form of amazement at her beauty.  _He liked me as I am._ This was the other strong connection he had from her old love. He saw past all of it and saw her true self. He saw her memories. He liked what he saw and went off of what he knew and trusted. He pulled her bag over, reached in, and took out a large necklace faceted with various colors of moon crystals. He knew what it was, and she wasn't surprised. A brush and soft cloth were taken out next. He was going to help her clean the jewels. He knew how just by viewing her memories, and he would be vital in helping her cope.

"Thank you," she shivered. On seeing this, he set down the necklace and brush carefully. Then he pressed a hand to her cheek to show that he understood, and he used his thumb to wipe away a tear. At that simple, heart-felt gesture, she gasped as the tears started to flow. He pulled her close to let her vent her anguish and grief on his shoulder at long last. She had all of it pent up and stored away from long ago.  _Now it needed to come out._   _Now she could grieve for her deceased friends, family, and love in peace._ He rocked her, as she cried harder, and he rubbed her back, squeezing her tight as he did so. She pulled away and wanted to talk, but a finger was pressed to her lips.  _Now was not the time for talking._

He pulled her close again and held her. More tears came, as the sobbing came back. He let his tears fall to grieve with her. This time, it was with relief. He saw what she had to endure. He wasn't going to let it happen again.  _She was lonely for a long time and was always afraid of what was going to happen to her. She couldn't see that help was going to reach her. She didn't know that someone resembling her past love was going to protect her. She was still afraid of what was going to happen now that her curse was gone._ Even he knew she wasn't safe.  _She would never be safe while her tormentor still roamed the lands at large._

At the feel of her breathing evening out, and the sudden support of her weight, he sighed. _She fell asleep at last._  He knew it was going to be a rough night. Every hour, she would wake up and cry on his shoulder. By the time the moon finally set, she was sleeping deeply while he rested against a wall with her in his lap. He knew the others were going to look for her the moment she was reported gone.


	3. Chapter 3

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Starfire screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Wha?!" Beast Boy blinked when he opened his door at the alarm. Raven peered out of her room now with a frown. Robin was quick to dress and was out in the hallway to assess the situation.

"My friend, Ambrosia! She is not here! She is missing!" Starfire fretted. "I helped her bathe, and she said she had jewels to clean! Now she is gone!"

"Calm down, Starfire," Robin said. "The alarms didn't go off at night, so she didn't leave the building that we know of. Cyborg? Can you detect anything?"

"I'm checking now!" Cyborg said. His mind emerged from sleep mode from Robin's voice through the intercom. He yawned and stretched before moving to check the cameras and the footage they recorded in the night. "Ooh! Jericho has her! Very interesting."

"What?!" Beast Boy growled. Raven sighed, shook her head, and closed the door to her room. "Where did he take her?!"

"Last door on the right," Cyborg said through the intercom system. Beast Boy moved to the door and opened it. He paused at the sight of Jericho's glare. Then he saw his tear-stained shoulder and Ambrosia's terrified form. Robin pulled Beast Boy back and looked at Jericho.

"What happened? Just try and tell us," Robin sighed. "I don't want a fight. We are all on the same side. Wait, that's right. Jericho can't talk. Ambrosia? Can you tell us what happened?"

"I'll try," she nodded, and Jericho sighed. "Last night, well, Starfire went to bed. I couldn't sleep. I was...upset about everything I was forced to remember. Jericho came in, and he brought me and my belongings in here. I had asked him to find me a room with a window for viewing the moon, and he did that. He had seen my memories, so he was going to help me clean the moon crystals. But..."

"But?" Beast Boy growled.

"I ended up crying instead!" she shivered, and Jericho hugged her. "I spent so long...trapped away in darkness...only let out every now and then...I couldn't...grieve like I wanted to...and..."

Jericho put a finger to her lips to quiet her, and now he glared at the others. He picked up the pad and pen he had nearby and started to write. Then the paper was made into a small airplane and launched at Robin. It was caught and opened to read out loud.

"He says, 'Yes, it was wrong of me to take her out of Starfire's room, but I knew she needed to vent her grief. It was killing her inside. No one else would have understood this. If she is to properly heal mentally and physically, she had to let it out. She couldn't do this in Starfire's room. She's still very much afraid of the stalker out in the world. She knows he's looking for her. He is going to start looking for her soon. Today, I would like to see the tree stump she sat on. I don't want to become enemies. I was, and am, looking out for her safety.' All right. I see why you did this. Beast Boy, you have to admit, he was in her mind. He knew how she felt. Just...don't do this anymore!" Robin muttered.

"You invaded my personal space!" Starfire pouted. Jericho sighed and nodded. He admitted he was wrong by doing it, but he knew that Ambrosia needed to grieve.

"How bad did she cry?" Beast Boy asked. Jericho pointed at his purple tunic to show that it was still damp. That made Robin cringe. "Fine. You want to see where we found her again? Okay. I'll go with you. Does Ambrosia come with us? Or stay here?"

"I should stay," Ambrosia sniffled. "If I am not found, it will be better. I know that place will be searched for first. I have jewels to clean, so I'll have enough to do. And I am sure that Raven will be giving me books to read."

"Cyborg? Did you get all this?" Robin asked the intercom on the wall.

"Loud and clear! I'm finishing up her chair, so I'll be here to help her. Don't worry!" Cyborg said. "I'm not detecting anything out of the ordinary right now."

"Good. Okay. Jericho, if we want to do this, we should go now while it's early in the day," Robin said. Then he paused, and his jaw dropped at Ambrosia. At first, he didn't see how clean she was, as he was concerned about the issue at hand. Now that it was resolved, his mind was able to take more in. He didn't even notice the gown she wore until now. When Jericho stood with her to help support her in standing, it all came together. Ambrosia gasped, and Jericho stepped in front of her protectively. Beast Boy was also staring at her, and Starfire poked at Robin's side to snap him out of it. Ambrosia was just barely an inch taller than Jericho, but she hid herself against his back.

"Robin!" Starfire said sternly.

"Ah, yeah," Robin said with a blush, and he moved out of the room quickly with embarrassment.

"You look good!" Beast Boy grinned at Ambrosia.

"Thank you, Beast Boy," she sighed. She tried to walk and failed miserably. Jericho supported her and helped her sit on the ground. He gathered up her things and looked over at Cyborg.

"Hey, guys!" he grinned. Then he saw Ambrosia, and his mind went blank. Jericho sighed and stepped in front of her again with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Are you sure you want to stay?" Beast Boy asked again. "Other Titans may be here soon. The moment you're seen, word will spread. I dunno if it will be safe for you without us."

"I don't think I'll be affected again," Cyborg said, as he shook his head. Jericho moved out of the way to test the theory, and Cyborg gaped again at Ambrosia. Jericho moved back in front of her, and now she pulled over her bag to look through it. She took out a face mask that covered her whole face and put it on. It was like a sheet of silver with slits for the eyes and two puncture marks for the nose. There was no visible mouth, but she could speak just fine through it. Jericho smiled at this and moved out of the way. Cyborg wasn't affected now. She knew that, the more they were exposed around her, they would get used to her beauty, but the mask would help around others and ease them around her.

"That will work," Beast Boy grinned. "Um, you need a change of clothes?"

"I will help her change her clothes. You boys leave this personal space now!" Starfire said. She hovered in front of her purposely to show she meant it. Jericho sighed, but he was able to hug Ambrosia. Beast Boy even got a hug from her, too.

"I will be fine. I will remain in this room at all times with my mask on," Ambrosia whispered softly. "With this mask, I cannot speak too loudly or it will slip off. This mask is usually worn by silent Fae that make no noise. Do not worry about me."

Jericho gave a small nod and walked out with Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"I do not like how Jericho took you out of my personal space," Starfire frowned.

"I needed to grieve, Starfire. I couldn't let you worry over my tears. As it is, Jericho helped me sleep a bit. I was too afraid to sleep. With him I feel...safe."

"It is much like how I feel with Robin," Starfire giggled. "I can forgive Jericho now."

"Thank you for forgiving Jericho. Hmm. Then maybe Robin is your love?"

"I do not know. He is confusing. I know he likes me, but he does not say it. He has problems voicing his thoughts. I do not know what to think," Starfire shrugged. "But, I know he likes me."

"Then that is all you need to know," Ambrosia nodded. She pulled out a dress of a rich, dark blue color that matched her eyes, and Starfire helped her change out of her sleeping gown into this new dress. It flowed down her body in a single sheet of soft silk and molded to her form. Her arms were free, and her shoulders were covered, but the dress went down to her feet and lightly trailed the floor. It gave her a soft neckline that lightly plunged down in the front. With a sigh, she looked over at the door when it was knocked on, and Cyborg was waiting outside the door with a new chair for her.

"Voila! It's an electric powered, magnetized, hovering speed chair! It can be converted into a portable walker to help you gain strength in your legs, too!" Cyborg grinned. Ambrosia stared with awe at the sleek, metallic white chair. It looked plush and very comfortable.

"It looks magnificent!" Starfire beamed.

"All leather seating with soft bio-degradable, five-star cushioning on the inside, and it has a motorized massager and heat warmer!" Cyborg continued.

"Um...what?" Ambrosia blinked under the mask. "I'm sorry...but..."

"Oh. Right. You don't understand our technology yet," Cyborg sighed. "I forgive you."

"It's not that!" she fretted. She held the mask to her face for fear of it slipping off and pointed at the leather. "That is animal skin! I cannot sit on something that used to be alive unless it was from plants! I am a being of Nature! For me to do so would be blasphemous!"

"The leather? Oh. OH!" Cyborg gaped. "Right! You're Fae! I'm so sorry! I forgot! I'll switch it to something else right now! I might have some soft velvet instead. I'll go check!"

As the chair was pushed away, Ambrosia shivered, and Starfire was in complete surprise over what happened. In the hallway, Jericho saw the chair, as he was going to see how Ambrosia was. He glared at Cyborg now, and Beast Boy was growling.

"DUDE! Leather?! With me around?!" Beast Boy shouted. "Are you insane? Do you realize what that can do to me if I always see it?! I like cows!"

"Ambrosia pointed it out, and I'm changing it out. I was thinking of the best support for her posture, and leather was one of the top things to help. I'm going with a soft velvet that has a synthetic feel to it, okay? I forgot she was Fae and someone who was a part of Nature," Cyborg said. Jericho sighed, shook his head, and walked past him. He saw Ambrosia in the gown of deep blue, and he nodded to Starfire. Beast Boy was next to appear and he sighed.

"Cyborg is swapping out the chair lining. Anyways, we're heading out. There's a tofu burger in the fridge for ya when you're hungry. Um, I'm not sure exactly who is going to show up. Robin is coming with us. Raven is staying here. She's still researching stuff. We'll be back as fast as we can," Beast Boy said. "We'll let you know what we find out."

"Please do," Ambrosia nodded. Jericho moved to squeeze her shoulder before walking out of the room. Beast Boy was still grumbling, as he followed him. Starfire watched them leave, and she turned to face Ambrosia with a sigh.

"I am torn. I should go with them, but I want to stay and help you," she admitted.

"Go with them, Starfire. I will be all right," Ambrosia chuckled.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They may need the help. One never knows."

"Good advice will always be followed! We will return swiftly!" Starfire beamed and flew out of the room. She sighed when she was alone in the room and moved to take up the brush and necklace. Old memories filtered back of how to clean the rare crystals, and she started to do just that. She looked up at Raven, as a mess of books were set before her.

"So. Jericho likes you?" Raven asked, as she sat down in front of her.

"Apparently so," Ambrosia said softly.

"Good. Beast Boy likes you, too?"

"It...certainly looks like it," she cringed.

"I'm not going to bite you. It's fine. I see them as brothers. Annoying brothers, but brothers all the same. They have their moments. Why the mask?" Raven asked. Ambrosia removed the mask to reveal her stunning beauty, and Raven's jaw dropped. The mask was replaced, and Raven came around. "Okay. Point made. Keep the mask on around Herald. He is helping me with books for you."

"Very well," Ambrosia nodded. She picked up a book and started to flip through it. Then she read faster and faster so that the pages were simply flipped through in seconds. Raven watched with stunned silence at how fast she read.

"You...are reading them?" Raven asked.

"Yes. Fae are very fast readers. I told you I read literature quickly. Didn't I?" Ambrosia chuckled, as she finished the last book in the pile. "Interesting. The home I had before is now in a place called Ireland. It looks like a town is settled near the spot where my hill was. It will be hard to reach without being seen. Hopefully, I'm wrong."

"Okay..." Raven thought. "Where did you see this?"

"Here," Ambrosia said, as she pulled a book from the pile and opened it up to the exact page she saw. "It's a town called Littleton. This is an old book, so I don't know if the town still exists."

"Right. We'll check it out," Raven nodded. "I should just bring you into my room. If you read this fast, it might be easier. You can read the books, as I put them away."

"If you can carry me, then I don't mind that at all," Ambrosia nodded.

"That necklace is powerful," Raven said, as she saw the moon crystals.

"Yes. It was...my Mother's heirloom to me. One of many. For my wedding day. I was cleaning them when you walked in. Each moon crystal has its own unique energy pattern."

"Really? Can I study it?" Raven asked. "It may help us defend against whoever is stalking you."

"I can't let you touch the necklace. However, I may have a spare. Let me check," Ambrosia said and pulled her bag over to her. Raven gaped at how she moved her body into the bag and pulled out a small yellow crystal. "Here. You can study this one. It's a loose crystal and will be the only one I can spare. It's exceptionally fragile, so be careful. Moonlight powers it. I can show you how to clean it to amplify the charge."

"You teach me, and I'll teach you. We'll get along fine," Raven nodded. Ambrosia nodded back, and Raven used her shadowy powers to levitate her off the ground with the books and her belongings to transport her into her room. While Ambrosia started to get acquainted with the dark features of Raven's room, Robin, Beast Boy, Jericho, and Starfire were in the forest looking at the burned out stump.

"This was perfectly normal last night!" Beast Boy squealed. Jericho was studying the ashes intensely for any clues. Robin and Starfire were surprised at the place. They had never seen it before.

"This place was never here before!" Robin frowned.

"It was always full of trees! Right, Robin?" Starfire asked.

"She was hidden by the curse, remember?" Beast Boy said. "It probably spread to this spot, too. Come to think of it, I only saw this place in my owl form! I didn't see her on the stump until I became a unicorn, but I heard her crying. Okay, now I know it was part of her curse! Only a mystical animal could see her. A normal animal could see this place, but not her. If I waited too long, I think I would have missed her completely. What do you think, Jericho?"

Jericho gave a small nod of agreement. Then he paused and stared at a rune that was charred up. It was seared into the remains of the earth where the stump was. He gestured for Robin to come and look.

"What is that?!" Robin blinked. He took out his communicator to snap a picture. "I'll send it to Raven. Maybe she knows?"

"Jericho, you've been in Ambrosia's mind. Do you know what it means?" Starfire asked. Jericho thought and tried to remember what he saw. Beast Boy had become a bloodhound and was sniffing all over the ground to see if anyone tried to physically come here.

"What is it? I have Ambrosia reading books. She's here with me and Herald. She's reading...very, very fast," Raven said, as her face appeared.

"I'm sending you an image. I want you to tell me if you know it," Robin said. "In fact, maybe she would know. It looks like it could be as old as she is."

"I'm ready to receive it," Raven nodded. As the image was about to be sent, Jericho stood up with alarm. He was able to place the rune.  _It wasn't good at all!_

"Jericho?!" Starfire gasped. He turned to look at Robin now with despair.

"Ambrosia, do you know this? I have no idea what it means. Maybe you can tell me?" Raven asked, as she showed over the picture. Jericho was gesturing to Robin frantically to try to tell him not to show the rune to Ambrosia. It was too late.

"I can try to see and remember," Ambrosia smiled. Herald was amazed at how fast she was reading books. He looked over at the communicator to see what she saw, and he caught a glimpse of Jericho making panicked motions before the picture was sent.  _Was something wrong?_  He watched Ambrosia study the rune in thought. He was curious as to what she looked like under the mask. He would have his curiosity sated at the blood-curdling scream that Ambrosia gave at the remembrance of the rune.

"I guess she knows it?!" Raven hissed, and the communicator connection was shut down when the device was thrown across the room where it shattered to pieces from the force against the wall. Herald was staring in shock at the peerless beauty that was exposed when the mask flew off her face and clattered to the floor from the force of her scream. Ambrosia was still screaming her outrage and fear. Jericho was already running back to the Tower the moment she screamed.

"Jericho!" Robin shouted. "Starfire! Beast Boy!"

"Come on!" Beast Boy shouted. He shifted into his new griffin form to grab Jericho and soar off. Robin gaped in silent shock. The massive eagle talons snatched up each arm securely, as the hind lion quarters kicked out in the air. With each kick that happened, a massive wing-beat was done to help him maintain balance and soar through the air quickly. It was extremely natural for him to know how to handle the form, and his green, feathered head gave a shrill cry, as he charged through the air with Jericho dangling in his talons safely.

"I thought that Beast Boy could only become animals that existed?!" Starfire gasped.

"Apparently, griffins did exist unless he never tried it before!" Robin said, as he hopped on his motorcycle. "We gotta get back! Something is going on, and we need to be there!"

As they scrambled to get back to the Tower, Ambrosia was in a whimpering ball of fright. Raven was at a loss of what to do. Herald clearly didn't know what to do.

"I'm not safe!" Ambrosia whimpered. "He knows!"

"Knows what?!" Raven prodded.

"That I'm free..." she whimpered again, and she curled herself into a tighter ball. "That rune...it's a...tracking rune! He put it there...so that the moment...I was free...he would know..."

"Jericho was making odd movements in the background," Herald winced. "Like he was trying to get Robin to stop you from showing her. I think."

"Because Jericho knew she would be frightened! He found out what the rune was!" Raven blinked and focused on calming Ambrosia down as much as possible. "You're among friends now! You are not going to be harmed! We won't let you be harmed!"

"It's not the physical harm...that I fear..." Ambrosia shivered. "It's...the mental...of what happened...everything! That rune it...also...invokes the memories...of horrible things! It...if one knows what it is...it brings out that fear...tenfold! If you saw...that rune again...you would be...like me now...since you know...what it does...so...be glad that...you aren't looking at it!"

"Why?!" Herald gaped. "Why leave a rune like that around?!"

"To paralyze prey..." she cringed. "To make one feel helpless...powerless...easy kills. If there was ever one moment in your life...that you felt that all hope was lost...that fear was all...you could ever feel...imagine that...times ten..."

"You said it was a tracking rune..." Raven said.

"Yes. It has two parts...one to inform the inscriber...of something broken...the other to invoke sheer horror to whoever recognizes it!" she shivered. "I...can't move...the fear is so...horrible..."

Jericho burst down the door and moved quickly to scoop her up and hug her. Raven would be upset at the barging in, but he was there for Ambrosia to help calm her fears. She forgave him mentally this once. Beast Boy was quick to appear next, and he paused.

"Animal instincts say that we may have been followed! I just felt like we were being watched!" he growled. Jericho knew that the attack wouldn't happen until nightfall.  _We were safe until then._  Any member of the Unseelie Court was only active at night. They were bound by rules, too. The Titans had time to prepare. Robin stood outside of Raven's room with Starfire. He was panting from how fast he ran in. Starfire was hovering with confusion.

"Good to see you, Jericho," Herald said. Jericho simply nodded, lifted Ambrosia in his arms, and walked out of the room with her. Beast Boy grabbed her things and followed them.

"What's going on?! Are we being attacked?" Cyborg asked when he ran over.

"Mentally, we are," Raven frowned. "I'm going to need help looking into the rune. Ambrosia told me what it was. Now that I know what it is, I'm not going to look at it. Robin. You don't know what it is yet. You'll be safe. You have to help me research. You, too, Starfire. Cyborg, you also. I can't see the rune anymore, and neither can Herald. It's for safety reasons until we know more about it. We'll pull out books of runes, but you'll have to help me track it down. It's going to be a process of elimination, and this may take some time."

"Are you serious?!" Cyborg groaned.

"That rune is nasty," Herald grimaced. "You heard her scream!"

"She was the one that screamed?!" Cyborg gaped.

"Yes," Robin said. "Ambrosia made that scream. Jericho tried to warn me, but..."

"He's mute. We know," Raven nodded. "Let him calm her down with Beast Boy. Herald, can you get Jericho to tell you what happened? I'm going to have a list of questions for him, too."

"Tell me?" Herald smirked.

"He's a fast writer," Robin grinned. That made Herald nod. "Good thing I have that image on my communicator. What happened to the one you had?"

"I need it replaced," Raven said, as she pointed to the pieces all over the ground. "She flung it from her sight. She has...quite an arm."

"Aqualad is on his way here," Cyborg sighed. "He told me moments ago, and I was waiting for you all to get back. Should I call him back and tell him it's a bad time?"

"No. If he's on his way here, he's likely traveling a great distance. We'll prepare for his arrival," Robin nodded. "I'm worried about how he'll see Ambrosia, though."

"As long as friend Ambrosia has this on, then she will be safe," Starfire said, as she picked up the silver mask on the ground. She sped off to give it back. As Robin and Cyborg hit the books and the internet, Starfire paused at the harsh sobbing she heard just outside Ambrosia's door.

"Who's there?" Beast Boy asked.

"It is me. Your friend, Starfire. You forgot Ambrosia's mask," she said, and she was let inside. "I heard that Aqualad may be paying us a visit."

"Seriously?! What does he want?!" Beast Boy snorted. Starfire seemed to shrug and gave the mask to Jericho. He nodded to her and continued to comfort Ambrosia.

"We have unanswered questions. Jericho, you may be able to answer them?" Starfire asked and sat on the ground. "And we are lacking earth-based wood furnishings in here!"

A sudden squealing sound was heard, as Silkie moved into the room. He moved to snuggle into Ambrosia's frightened form, and Jericho smiled softly.

"What's Silkie doing?!" Beast Boy asked.

"It's...all right," Ambrosia sighed and pet the upset caterpillar. "As a Fae, we are beings of Nature. Animals can feel us when we are upset. They comfort us and keep us company. We keep them healthy and protect them in exchange. They provide companionship, and we provide guardianship."

"That's sort of how I was with you as a unicorn!" Beast Boy blinked.

"Yes. Exactly like that. If you were an animal again, you would be doing the same thing as Silkie is now," Ambrosia nodded. "See, Silkie? I'm okay. I was just a little scared."

"A little? You were terrified!" Herald said when he walked in. He froze at the sight of her face. Jericho put the mask on her, and Herald shook his head. "Wow. Okay. Anyways, Jericho, can you answer these questions? To the best that you can?"

Jericho took the paper and pen to start reading and answering the questions.

"I'm gonna shut the door now," Beast Boy muttered.

"Better not. We don't know if Robin will need us. Raven's got him and Cyborg researching. She can't look at what Ambrosia saw. Neither can I. You may be able to help, though, Beast Boy. You saw the rune, but you don't know what it is, right?" Herald asked.

"All I know is that it made her scream! Bad!" Beast Boy growled. "As an animal, I want to protect her. As a human, I want to be near her to help her."

"You can help her by finding a counter to what she saw," Herald said. "Something that can repel it. There has to be something that we can use!"

"Only Fae magic can defeat Fae magic," Ambrosia frowned, as she comforted Silkie. "Otherwise, it would only be neutralized. It may be possible to find counter-spells, but that would involve traveling to my old home. I don't know..."

Jericho squeezed her and finished answering the questions. Then he wrote something else down and gave the paper to Herald.

"Interesting answers. Oh. The Unseelie Court can only attack at night, eh? Well...technically, we have sixteen hours of daylight. And, with me here, we can travel faster than ever! Let me talk to Robin. We may be able to plan a trip," Herald grinned. "My horn lets me open portals to dimensions and create rifts through space. You want to be somewhere? Give me the coordinates, and I make the hole."

"Amazing," Ambrosia chuckled softly.

"As long as Jericho doesn't get in my head, I'll be fine!" Beast Boy grinned. "Well...it was okay when I needed you to."

Jericho nodded and thought.

"Just remember, Jericho," Herald frowned. "You may have an awesome power, but it doesn't work if you're blind. We don't know who we're up against. You do, since you saw her thoughts. You have a better idea of what we're up against. You'd better protect yourself, if you're planning something stupid. Normally, you're the shy one. I know how you can be on a bad day."

Jericho gave a bit of a wicked, knowing grin, and Herald laughed.

"You made Cinderblock talk! I still find it hilarious!" Beast Boy snickered.

"Cinderblock?" Ambrosia asked.

"Old enemy," Herald grinned. "Oh, Jericho, why isn't that rune affecting you? If you recognized it, wouldn't you be in the same form of fear she was?"

"I can explain that," she said. "I had seen the rune before. If you see it once, then the effect of it doesn't really catch right away. If it was seen a second time, or any other time past that, it will affect him. Only the one that originally placed the rune is truly unaffected. But, it must be done properly. I can remember the rune and draw the rune. But, I cannot see the rune that another has placed. Apparently, pictures can transfer that magic. I don't know how, but it did."

"It was made for you. That's why, I think," Beast Boy frowned. "I read in that book that, if a curse was made for a specific person, it's only supposed to work for that person. If others try to interfere, they can get backlashes of warning power. From what I know, Raven and Herald could see the rune again, and they might get mild effects, but that's about it. I wouldn't test it, though."

"You remember all that? You can barely remember where you put down the remote!" Herald chuckled. "You may be right, though."

"I remember things that I consider fascinating and important, okay?!" Beast Boy grumbled. "And I don't lose things all the time...well...most of the time..."

"Beast Boy, don't worry," Ambrosia smiled. "No matter what they say, I will always see you as someone important in my life."

"Ah..." Beast Boy started and found himself blushing hard. He turned into a sheep to show how sheepish he felt, and that got everyone laughing and smiling. Jericho seemed to nod, and he frowned at the sound of her belly rumbling.

"You did not eat yet?!" Starfire gasped. Silkie purred and made a whimpering sound, as Starfire took him from Ambrosia. Jericho pulled up Ambrosia into his arms to carry her.

"None of us have eaten yet. I'll tell Raven we all should eat now," Herald said.

"It's still breakfast time! I hope we make tofu waffles!" Beast Boy grinned, as he reverted to human form again. "I love me some waffles!"

"Tofu waffles?" Ambrosia asked.

"You're in for a treat!" Beast Boy said. Jericho sighed and carried her to the main room. Cyborg was already raiding the fridge, and Robin was deep in thought from where he sat on the couch.

"Bring on the sausage!" Cyborg said with joy, as he took out the frozen meat. "Oh! Um...Ambrosia? Is it okay if I eat meat around you?"

"Of course. Humans always had meat around us. Fae simply do not have meat, themselves, including me. Indulge in whatever you wish," she smiled. "Just do not expect me to help you eat it!"

"More for me!" Cyborg grinned and started to fry up some bacon.

"Do you eat meat, Jericho?" she asked him. He thought, gave a slight nod, but then he looked at her and smiled. He shook his head now. He wasn't going to eat meat around her.

"You're going vegan?!" Beast Boy gasped with joy. Jericho pointed at her and nodded.

"Dude, you are NOT going to go vegan on me!" Cyborg growled.

"If it's his choice, who are we to argue?" Robin chuckled. "I'll take some bacon when it's done."

"Seared animal flesh is divine!" Starfire sighed. Raven rolled her eyes, and Herald grinned.

"Fae understand that animals eat each other for survival. The foxes eat the rabbits. The birds eat the worms and insects. Wolves hunt deer. We simply cannot eat the flesh of others ourselves. I...tried it once. As an experiment. It was deer meat. It was a very tiny piece. No more than the size of my thumbnail. I was ill for a whole week as my body cleansed itself out," Ambrosia frowned. Jericho grimaced and shook his head.  _No meat for her!_ Cyborg looked at her with surprise.

"I've  _been_  most of the animals they eat!" Beast Boy muttered. "It's not cool!"

"Do you not feel the craving to eat other animals as a carnivore?" Ambrosia asked.

"Nope! As long as my body is already fed, I just take on the shapes," he said.

"So, you're saying that there is a chance you could eat meat?" Cyborg grinned.

"I would...probably do it as a last resort. For survival. Not that I ever will!" Beast Boy scowled. "I just don't see why I should when there is no need to. Besides, if I'm really hungry, I can just become a deer and eat grass!"

"Whatever!" Cyborg said, as he brought over a plate of bacon, sausages, and pancakes to the table.

"Don't cook," Raven said to Beast Boy. "The last time you did, you lost the waffle iron!"

"What?!" he said with a long face.

"I'll make waffles, but not tofu waffles. Deal?" Cyborg asked.

"Awww! Well...okay. This once!" Beast Boy nodded. Cyborg looked at him curiously, but a side-long glance to Ambrosia was given. That made him nod with a small grin. Raven smirked, and Cyborg helped make up a batch of waffles. Syrup was given over next with plates and utensils. Normally, Beast Boy would be fighting with Cyborg over breakfast, but he actually decided to let Cyborg do the cooking this time. Ambrosia wasn't quite ready to see their fantastic breakfast battles. In time, she would witness it. When Ambrosia had to take off her mask to eat, Jericho moved her in a position so that her face was not easily seen.

"How do I eat this?" Ambrosia frowned. Jericho smiled and started to show her how. She was pleased at how sweet the syrup was with the waffles. A glass of milk was given to her next, and she was enjoying all of the new tastes and sensations with delight.

"I smell something good!" Aqualad said, as he walked in. "Sorry I'm late. I had to divert a tidal flood along the Atlantic Coast. Who's she?"

"She is our new friend, Ambrosia!" Starfire said, as she swallowed a mouthful of food. "She is of the Fae Realms! We hope to help her defeat a nasty curse and a villain from her past!"

"Fae? Like fairy? Please!" Aqualad grinned.

"It's true," Raven said with a small glare. Robin gave Aqualad a warning look.

"Remember what I told you," Robin said softly. "I contacted you last night with no gimmicks. It was hard for me to believe, too. Jericho confirmed everything when he looked in her mind."

"Jericho?!" Aqualad blinked. At his name, Jericho turned slightly to nod to him and went back to eating his waffle. Ambrosia looked at him questionably, but Jericho gave a mild shrug.

"Ah, here," Beast Boy said and gave Ambrosia her mask. "Just in case."

"Then...how am I to eat?" she sighed. When she looked up again, Aqualad was standing in front of her with pure shock. She frowned and saw that he was tall with black hair and eyes, yet he had white pupils. His features were strong and masculine, but his form was sleek to help him swim. His outfit was that of a wetsuit with a black upper collar and shoulder part with a light bluish-white stripe along the collar bone. A blue, upper torso was next that stretched down to his wrists. The same bluish-white stripes were found along his waist, wrists and calves. Black coloring finished off the gloves, pants and boots. Jericho gave a look of annoyance and placed the silver mask over her face.

"Dude, go sit with Robin!" Beast Boy scowled.

"Fairies have wings, don't they?" Aqualad asked after he regained himself.

"I am of the Fae. A Fairy race, but wingless. We are skilled in advanced magical properties and energies of the moon. You speak of the lesser Fae that mix with Pixies. The Butterfly Folk. I am of the race that walks the paths with the moon. The ones that are known of as the Moonlight Marchers, or the Fae Parade. I...may be the last of my race. I do not know as of yet," she sighed under the mask.

"I'm from a place known as Atlantis. Have you heard of it?" Aqualad asked.

"Yes, I have! I have not been to the city, but it was widely known for its visual lights and beauty by the sea! I had heard that it had crumbled, though. Has it come back?" she asked.

"No. But...you've heard of it while it stood?! How old are you?" he asked.

"I am over eleven hundred years old. No thanks to the curse that was placed on me," she shivered. "I should look older, but I am not. The curse made me quite ageless. As you can see..."

Jericho was done eating his unfinished waffle, and he shoved the plate away noisily to announce his irritation at her distress. Robin gave a small groan and put his face in his hand, as Jericho scooped up Ambrosia to carry her away to her room.

"Jericho! Wait up!" Beast Boy said, and he became a sparrow to fly after him.

"Was it something I said?" Aqualad frowned.

"Sit with us. There is a lot you need to know," Raven said, and a seat was pulled back for him with her shadow magic. As he got filled in, Ambrosia was being rocked by Jericho in his lap within the confines of her room. She had her masked face pressed against his neck, and his eyes were closed.

"The nerve of him!" Beast Boy growled. "Why can't he just take our advice and leave things alone?! Okay, okay. I'm just as bad. I know it..."

"Many do not believe the unbelievable. It is why the second part of my curse was doubtful that it would be lifted," Ambrosia sighed, and she took off the mask to set aside. "So much will always need to be explained. It is human in nature for things to be explained logically. The books that Raven let me read told me quite a bit on human history, culture, and belief. It is...staggering...to say the least..."

Jericho could only nod with complete agreement. He had seen the minds of many before. _Too much could easily overwhelm anyone, if they didn't know how to take it._  He knew firsthand, since it made him turn on his own friends, and it took him a long time to free himself of the sensations.

"Well, you aren't alone in your struggle," Beast Boy said. "I don't know what happened in your past other than what you told me. Jericho has actually seen your past through you. Jericho, I gotta ask. Do you plan to look into the head of this guy that's trying to find her? I mean...if you are...you gotta be careful. If he's really old like her and really powerful..."

Jericho rose up his hand to show that he understood the risks. He would take the utmost precaution, if such a thing was to happen. He looked at the door, as it was knocked on, and Ambrosia slipped her mask back on.

"Who is it?" Beast Boy asked.

"I got her chair!" Cyborg said. He was let in, and she was definitely relieved at the sight of black velvet lining instead of leather. Jericho lifted her up and set her in the chair. She was amazed at how luxurious it felt. Cyborg started to go over the controls with them, and she mastered the chair quickly.

"You put weapons in this, too, huh?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Only a thermo-nuclear, heat-seeking missile, about four, may I add! Lasers that can cut through practically any form of steel, diamond-hard blades for cutting away virtually anything that could block it from moving, and it even generates a force-field that can protect against nuclear weapons of all kinds! It even has a built in rocket for quick getaways," Cyborg grinned. "I even included a small carry space for her stuff. Just in case. And it holds a water bottle here! See?"

"How...clever?" she said with a soft smile. Much of it still went over her head. "But...it cannot protect against Fae magic. Correct?"

"Ah..." Cyborg's face went blank, and she giggled. "Well, if I knew what to do, then I would!"

"I have an idea," she said and gestured for her bag. Jericho retrieved it for her, and she pulled out a small gold ring set with a blue moon crystal. "Blue is the strongest color of the moon, and it holds more energy than any other color. It is also the rarest of moon crystals. Cyborg, can you mount this ring on the very top of this chair? But, make sure I can remove it, if needed? Once this ring is charged, I can use the energy to my liking. It can help defend me against rival Fae magic when it is strong enough."

"Really? Sure! Jericho, I'll need the chair back," Cyborg grinned. Jericho gathered her up to hold her, and Cyborg started to work on the top of the chair with a set of lasers, cutters, and pliers. She watched with fascination at this, and a small section was created to hold the ring steadily in place.

"That is perfect. Thank you, Cyborg," she smiled under the mask.

"You said this chair could help her walk, too?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yep! She can sit in it, and, when she stands up, the arms will extend to help support her. If she needs to sit back down, she can. The chair will be right behind her at all times. She could also recline in it to sleep in, too, if she wanted to," Cyborg nodded.

"This will help me, but now I need to clean some crystals. I must try and have them charged with moonlight. Not now, obviously, but soon. I know it will be dangerous to do," she frowned.

"It's nighttime somewhere, right?" Cyborg grinned. "Maybe we can get Herald to make an open hole to show the moon from space? This way it's still daylight, and the moon can still hit the crystals."

"That...I don't know. We can try it," she shrugged. "First, I need to prepare the crystals."

Jericho showed he was ready to help with the brush in hand.

"Can I help?" Beast Boy asked.

"Um...how are you in handling fragile things?" she winced.

"Think of a buffalo in a china store. Not good," Cyborg said. Beast Boy scowled at him.

"Actually," she thought. "could you find out what is going on for me? With the others?"

"I can be a fly on the wall!" he nodded. Cyborg chuckled and left with Beast Boy. When the door shut, Jericho took her out of the chair to settle in his lap on the ground.

"Jericho, how are you to clean crystals with me in your lap?" she asked. He set the brush down, pulled her mask off, and set it aside. Then he sighed and hugged her to him. "Jericho..."

He placed a finger to her lips. She blinked her eyes slowly, and he pressed his forehead against hers. Holding her like this was all he needed right now. Nothing needed to be said. Her arms moved to encircle his neck, and he pressed his face against her neck to hold her closer. He was aching to hold her like this for a while now. She was his peace and solitude.

"What are your plans when everything is over?" she whispered in his ear. In response, he pressed a hand to her belly. It symbolized only one thing to her, and she gasped.  _He wants to marry me! He wants to create a family with me!_  "Jericho! You can't possibly mean..."

The look in his eyes said it all.  _He did._  He wanted it to happen. His hand moved from her belly to her face, and he caressed her cheek. He didn't care how old she was. He didn't care about how beautiful she was. As the tears formed in her eyes, he pressed his mouth to hers to kiss her.  _Honey._  It was the only thing he could taste now, and he wanted more of it.  _Her scent was honey. Her breath reeked of honey._ The soft gasp she made in her kiss flowed over his ears like honey.

Her heart was racing now, and so was his. The kiss deepened a touch more before breaking at the sound of talking getting closer. He frowned and sighed at the interruption. She seemed disappointed, too. She had never been kissed before. She liked the sensation. She didn't want it to stop. He kissed her cheek and shook off the sensation she gave him again from her scent being exactly like honey. It didn't happen until he kissed her, and he found it a bit odd. He would need to think about it later. Luckily, he was able to recover, put her mask back over her face, and set her in the chair. He was amazed at himself for being so calm. He was even amazed that her skin tasted like honey, too! Another brush was pulled from the bag with a mess of moon crystal jewelry. She nodded to him softly, and they started to scrub frantically. Even he knew the importance of getting this done.

"I just need to ask her something," Aqualad said, as he opened the door.

"You'd better hurry up," Beast Boy huffed. At the sight of her scrubbing the crystals with Jericho, Aqualad paused as he saw the rare treasures.

"I think I've seen those before!" Aqualad said, as he studied the crystals.

"These are moon crystals. They are harvested by Pixies and fashioned by Dwarves. However, the ones that are fashioned are used in jewelry only. Raw crystals are more for magical usage of any type. They are originally drops of dew that were frozen by the moon's kiss before the sun sets and rises in the sky. They are the source of Fae power," Ambrosia whispered under her mask. "They are dirty from neglect, so I must clean them before they can be charged with moonlight. Normally, I would clean them like clockwork, but my curse kept me from doing so. You think you have seen these before?"

"A long time ago, actually. I never knew what they were. I happened by a treasure chest, and it was filled with stones like these. In fact, I still have the chest!" he mused.

"Do you? If you do, um..." she faltered.

"I have no need for it. I'll make sure you get it," he nodded. "I only want to know one thing."

"Oh? What would that be?" she asked. Jericho now looked at him with a glare of warning.

"Relax, Jericho. I know you and her are a bit of an item, okay? It's only obvious with how you are with her," Aqualad sighed. Beast Boy grumbled about that, but he knew she saw him as a trusted friend. That was more than he could ever ask for. Jericho frowned a bit, but he nodded now.

"So, what's your question?" Beast Boy frowned.

"What was the name of the one you loved before? I'd also ask for the name of your stalker..." Aqualad said, but Jericho glanced sharply at him to keep him quiet.

"It's all right," Ambrosia said, and she reached over to squeeze Jericho's shoulder. He grimaced at her with knowing pain. Aqualad was simply amazed at the connection they had between them. She looked at him from under her mask and whispered, "The name of the one that loved me before in my past...it was...Aelfric."

"And your stalker?" Aqualad asked softly.

"Sinlus," she sighed. She was deeply troubled now, and Jericho stood up to gesture for Aqualad to leave quickly. Of course, Aqualad wasn't ready to leave yet.

"So, Aelfric is dead, and Sinlus still lives. And Sinlus is supposed to be trying to find you. I'll see if Raven and Herald can try to find his name in any history books," Aqualad said.

"You will not find him in any books," Ambrosia said, and she place her hand on Jericho's to keep him calm. "Sinlus is someone who liked to work behind the scenes of others. He is the puppet master that likes to control the strings. He makes sure that he is never caught."

"Until now," Beast Boy frowned. At her nod, Jericho clearly looked livid.

"Well, there has to be something that mentions him somewhere. If we're going to your place of birth, do you think your vaults would hold any clues?" Aqualad asked.

"I...hmm..." she paused in thought. "It's possible. I always talked to the scribes, but, if I was locked away in time for so long, he could have ample time to rewrite whatever history he wished. It's still a valid thought. I will need to ponder on it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention."

"Eh, dude, you'd better go now," Beast Boy muttered. Jericho was forced to press his face into her hair. He had to focus on keeping his eyes closed, and he breathed in the exotic honey scent her hair held.  _I never felt so outraged before!_  All of it was from the fact that he felt that Ambrosia was being disrespected in front of him. He hated it.

"I'll get that chest of moon crystals to you," Aqualad promised and left soon after. Beast Boy made sure he was gone before closing the door. He was irritated, Jericho was upset, and Ambrosia was troubled.

"He just had to ask those questions!" Beast Boy frowned.

"It was needed for them to know," she said, as she removed her mask. "I need to finish scrubbing these crystals. Jericho? Please help me?"

He hugged her and nodded. Beast Boy watched them start to clean the fragile crystals, and he thought. At a knock on the door, he slipped her the mask to put on and opened it.

"Is everything okay?" Robin asked when he walked in. "You've all been here for a while."

"Aqualad just had to ask her the name of the one she loved," Beast Boy frowned. "and the name of her stalker. She said he needed to know, but it still hurt her."

"It hurts me to remember the name of my old love. Sinlus is another story. I don't care for his name at all. But...we must be cautious of how his name is called. There are many strong beings out there that can be easily summoned by their names. Sinlus is not his true name, from what I know at least, but it is one of many names that he does goes by. Even I do not know his true name," she said, as she set aside a sparkling red crystal.

"But, Ambrosia is your name, right?" Beast Boy smiled.

"Definitely! I wouldn't change my name for the world," she chuckled. "I was given my name by my parents, of course. When I asked why I was named after a mystical nectar, they said that...it was because, when I first looked at them after I was birthed, my gaze filled them with warmth and life. Thus, they named me Ambrosia. I am the nectar of their souls. It...sorry..."

"It's a wonderful name," Robin smiled gently. "I know it's still painful for you to talk about it. You really haven't had any time at all to grieve for your loved ones. I lost my parents, too. Long ago. So, I know how it feels. Even Beast Boy did, too. We all have lost loved ones here. And friends alike. You're not alone in your struggle. Trust me. Getting back to business, though, I'm waiting for a few more Titans to show up. They are all skeptical of you, so I had to stress to them of the situation. Aqualad is backing me up now. He actually left to get something for you. A chest, I think. Something you need."

"Yes. He found a chest of moon crystals and didn't know what they were until he saw my jewels. In exchange for the names provided, he is bringing it to me," she nodded.

"Who else is coming?" Beast Boy asked.

"Ah, let me think. Kid Flash is on his way here with Jinx. Bumblebee is, too. Speedy may come along for the ride. Mas y Menos will be here. No others really expressed their interest, but it could change when the others talk about her. Since I don't know what Sinlus really is, or what he does, we can't take any chances. We don't know how strong he is, or what powers he has available. We have to be cautious with everything. What we really hope to find is something in your old home. A clue. A weakness to him. It's a long shot, but it's all we got right now," Robin admitted.

"I don't want to put any of you in danger. You all have shown so much kindness to me..." she sighed. Jericho patted her hand and looked at Robin with a small nod. "You all barely know me. Jericho has been in my mind, so he knows more about me than anyone. The rest of you can only go by speculation and from what I can tell you. I feel handicapped. I can't even walk!"

Jericho frowned, carefully put the cleaned crystal down, and got up. He pulled her from the chair to carry her in his arms. She was about to question his actions, but, at his look, she sighed and nodded. He pressed his face to her neck, and she knew that he wanted everyone to know about them both.

"Eh...what's going on?" Beast Boy frowned. Robin was clearly puzzled.

"He's making a statement, it seems," Ambrosia sighed again at his soft nod. "That I belong to him. He...plans to marry me when all of this is over."

"Huh?!" Robin gaped. At Jericho's nod, Beast Boy growled at him. Ambrosia shivered, and Jericho squeezed her before glaring at Beast Boy.

"I'd better be the best man!" Beast Boy scowled. Jericho gave him a beaming grin to show it would be done. Robin was still surprised at all of this. This was a bit of a shock to him.

"Um...ah!" Ambrosia whimpered, and Jericho frowned with concern. "I just...remembered something! I...well..."

"What?" Robin asked, as he came around. He was actually feeling a touch of jealousy.  _Why was that?_ He couldn't afford to think about it now and pushed the thought aside. She whispered to Jericho first, and he looked at her with complete shock. He nodded to her and looked at Robin with worry.

"We are truly on a time limit now!" she fretted softly. "I had forgotten something that Sinlus told me as a part of my curse! I was so overjoyed that I was free...well...it's vital. He had told me that, after I was freed, it would be mandatory for me to marry by the time the moon hits its peak in the sky. If this does not happen, or if Sinlus, or that box, is not destroyed, I will be forever bound to the box at his side. Mainly, trapped in darkness with no hope to escape. I didn't know I was being placed in that box of darkness, but it will be permanent if I do not marry! We  _MUST_  destroy Sinlus or that box! Either that...or I must be married to Jericho before the moon reaches its peak! I'm so glad now that I was found two days before, or...it may have been too late for me..."

"Ah...wow..." Beast Boy thought. "If that's the case...um...why not marry him now?"

"What?!" Robin gaped at Beast Boy's suggestion. Jericho's jaw had dropped, and Ambrosia was in her own state of surprise. At first, she thought about it. Then she shook her head sadly.

"As much as I want it to happen, it cannot..." she shivered. "I am a princess of the Fae. Jericho is not Fae, nor royalty. In order for it to work, he needs the crown that my deceased betrothed had in order for the marriage to be binding and legal to Fae law. With the crown in his possession and worn on his brow, he will become royal Fae without any limitations. It would be binding and irreversible. But...Sinlus has that crown. Since he is not true royalty, he cannot place it on his brow. I have to be the one to do it to show that I accept him as royalty. Which I do not.

"I...do have my Mother's crown, but I cannot wear it until his crown is present to form an act of Joining. I would need to touch my crown to his to show they are a 'pair' and that we would be of equal blood. We would need to get the crown from Sinlus, and I doubt he will surrender it peacefully. The last time I saw it was a century ago when he held it out to me. It...still had blood on it from Aelfric when he died. And to make another one would take far too long. It takes a whole year and a day for a crown to be forged, and it can only be done by a Dwarven Master of the Forge! I highly doubt that any of them exist now. At the same time, everyone was rather insistent that it only be Aelfric's crown that mine was to go to! Now that I think about it, that is."

"Wow," Robin blinked at this news and thought. "Okay. So, we have to try and steal the crown from Sinlus for Jericho to marry you. Or else you're cursed permanently. Either that, or we kill Sinlus and destroy that box. It's a doozy no matter how we look at it!"

"I have an idea," Beast Boy said. "It's a good one!"

"I'm listening," Ambrosia nodded. Jericho nodded as well.

"You know what the crowns look like. You say you have one in your possession. Can't you make a copy of the crown we need to fool Sinlus into thinking you took it from him?" Beast Boy grinned. "We know it's a fake, but he won't. We can lure him out and trap him that way! Take the real crown from him, or switch out the fake for the real!"

"Beast Boy, I have to admit, you have your moments," Robin grinned. "Can we make duplicates? Is it possible?"

"We would need to see if I can find moon crystals that could match the ones in my Mother's crown and in the ones I remember from Aelfric's crown. No other stones will pull off being a double. They  _must_  be moon crystals. And, I would have to make a duplicate of Mother's crown for it to look realistic. With the chest that Aqualad brings back, it may be possible. But, we would need a lot of gold for it. The designs are very elaborate. I'll have to see what my bag has. I am unsure if it will work, but, if it will give some form of hesitation to Sinlus, I'll take it!" she nodded.

"I'm sure that Cyborg can make something to help us forge the crowns and put in the crystals," Robin thought. "How delicate are the crystals?"

"They must be inserted by hand. They scratch easily and can be crushed if too much pressure is applied. Anything over two pounds of pressure is too much," she sighed. "Jericho? Can you get me Mother's crown, please?"

He smiled and set her down in the chair to look through her bag. He pulled out the crown, and both Beast Boy and Robin gaped in shock at the sheer marvel of masterwork it was. It looked like a thin loop of gold, but it was covered in small, detailed designs of nymphs, fairies, and unicorns in play. Everything looked so realistic that the tiny sculptures looked alive. Small crystals were carefully set in each set of eyes with loving care. Larger crystals were set in small pockets around the crown's base and set in small spires that moved along the crown. A single, large, flawless blue moon crystal that was three inches in diameter was set in the front and appeared to be framed by a lion and a unicorn in play. A dragon seemed to be coiled underneath it as though to provide support and loving guardianship.

"It's...beautiful..." Beast Boy gaped.

"My Mother's crown of the Fae," she smiled. "My Father's crown...it was given back to me, but it was broken in several pieces. It is considered a 'dead' crown and cannot be repaired or worn at any cost. It was ripped off of him while he still lived. I found this out when I received it from Sinlus, and he seemed to show no remorse for it. A crown would have been made for me, but it was my Mother's ancestral tradition to pass down her crown to her favorite daughter. Another crown was to be made for her once this crown was safely gifted to me. Then my Mother and Father would have been remarried with the Joining of her new crown and his crown."

"Your Fae traditions are very...strict?" Robin said with a scratch to his head.

"They have to be. It all revolves around powerful magical circumstances. If one law was broken, havoc would have destroyed everything," she sighed. Jericho gave her the crown, and he pulled out the pieces of her father's crown. It was broken in six pieces, and the crystals were cracked. The crown looked dead and lifeless next to her mother's crown. It was made with the same masterful work with a different design of a herd of deer roaming a beautifully carved forest, but held none of the true beauty it once had when it was worn properly and filled with life.

"How did your mom's crown survive?" Beast Boy asked. "Or Aelfric's crown?"

"It was already removed from her head and set aside for me. Once a wedding is apparent, the crown 'knows' that it is safe to come off. But...I fear that, after this wedding, it may be permanently sealed to me. If there is no replacement crown for me to wear if I have a daughter, she will need her own crown and my Mother's tradition will be lost. I hate for it to happen, but there may be no other way," she frowned under the mask. "I don't even know if there are Dwarves that still exist that make the crowns. My Father's crown was never to be removed until he was ready to leave an heir in his place. He had plenty of heirs, but was still full of life. Why would he retire? He loved being a King of his people.

"Aelfric's crown had to be removed to be prepared for the Joining. The only reason that there is blood on his crown was because it apparently tumbled off of him as he died. His crown was ready to come off, so, at his death, it saved itself, in a way. His father had died in a riding accident...but I doubt it was an accident now. I was told it was a riding accident, but I'm still unsure to this day. My Father and his father were like brothers. Aelfric grieved for months on his father's grave. He was forced to become a King of his people prematurely. He had no Queen. So, my parents took pity on him and betrothed me to him. At first, I was outraged. Then he took the time to meet with me and speak with me. Normally, this was not allowed, but he was honest and well-loved. My parents trusted him, and I came to trust him, too. We agreed to make it work. In the end, we fell in love. We were betrothed for three full years. The moment I turned seventeen, the marriage was to be done."

"Wait! You mean to tell me that on the day of your  _birthday_  this happened?!" Robin asked with complete rage now. At her small nod and hard tremble, he grimaced. "Which means that every hundred years on your seventeenth birthday, you were forced to make the same decision over and over again. You wasted away a hundred birthdays in a timeless loop just to be pushed into it again!"

"Yes," she sighed. "In two days, I will be exactly eleven hundred and seventeen years old. I spent the first ten years of my curse on the run and barely edging by. But, the curse was already in effect, so to speak. I never found myself hungry, thirsty, or suffering from age. And, like I said before, I could not be seen or heard. I was pretty much a ghost. Powerful Fae magic couldn't even detect me! It was a very devastating curse. Come to think of it, even Sinlus didn't know where I was, but I knew he was waiting for me to sit down. The moment I did, he found me easily, and the full curse took effect. The first time I came out of darkness was after ninety years to keep the century loop complete. After that, it was once every hundred years. I know...I kept quite a bit from everyone...but it was so hard to explain! Now I am a touch confused, since the deaths of my family appeared to be older than ten years...but I know I was trapped for a whole century...I just...I don't know..."

Jericho was trembling, as he hugged her. Beast Boy was just gaping in complete shock. Robin was not happy. He needed a whole new strategy now.

"First course of action," Robin said quickly. "We need duplicates of the crowns made. I don't think you can let us borrow your mother's crown, so I'll need to have Cyborg take highly detailed pictures of it. Or very intricate sketches. You'll need to draw out what Aelfric's crown looked like when you last saw it. We'll scrape together as much gold as we can. Maybe Aqualad knows of another treasure chest hidden somewhere, if you don't have enough to give us to work with. How hard is it to carve the moon crystals to match the ones in the crown?"

"We can only use the softest of tools and the lightest of touches. Like I said before, they are very fragile and will easily shatter under too much force. It is best to use uncharged crystals to carve with. If a charged one shattered, you could find yourself punched through a wall from the force alone," she said. "I might be able to try carving them, but it would be a trial run. I was trained to try carving a few in case I needed to make replacements, so I do have a few of the tools needed. It mainly involves high-pressure steam and a coarse cloth. It could take hours just to make one crystal perfect..."

"It's all we can hope for. Jericho, you're good at sketching, right?" Robin asked. Jericho nodded and picked up the pad and pen to start drawing out the crown from Ambrosia's memories.

"I need to tell the others of the change in plans. Beast Boy? Can you come with me?" Robin asked. "I'm sure that, with more Titans coming, I'll need a form of crowd control."

"Okay," he nodded. "You'll be okay, Ambrosia?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I will clean more crystals."

When they left, and the door closed, Jericho set down the pen and paper, moved to her side, pulled her mask off, and hugged her.  _She's going to be my wife._   _It was official now._ She pressed herself into his body, as she shivered with excitement. She couldn't speak right now. Even when he kissed her hard, she responded with a soft whimper. The taste of honey filled his mouth again, and it made him wonder if her name was really given to her because of how she was when she was born.  _If I was reacting like this and tasting her this way..._ He didn't want to think of any others getting the privilege of experiencing this. Pressing his forehead to hers, he felt a form of bliss that he rarely ever experienced. There was a small smile on his face now, as he gazed at her.

"So...you are my new betrothed?" she asked with a soft smile of her own. At the look of intense happiness and joy on his face, they hugged each other tight. His heart was hers, and her heart was his. With a softer smile, she whispered, "Jericho, love...do you recall what my Mother's crown can do when fully charged? The secret it holds?"

He smiled at the endearing name she called him and thought about what he could remember from her memories. Now he blinked. Then he looked at her with alarming surprise. She nodded and whispered, "Yes. You do recall. I could gain the power to give you the ability to speak for yourself. If you wanted it. You would need to fully consent to it, though, and it would only be able to be done when I am wearing the crown after we wed. Would it be something...you are interested in?"

He thought and found himself smiling more and more.  _I want to voice how much I love her in my own words._ He remembered that the effect would be weak at first, but, the more she healed his vocal cords with the power of the crown, the more the magic would remain permanent and the stronger his voice would become. He gave a small nod and now held up his hands. He wanted to try a bit of sign language with her. She frowned at first until she realized what he was trying to do. Then she giggled and said, "Find me a book on it, and I'll be able to learn properly, dearest. Until then, I think body language works best. Don't you?"

He grinned wickedly and kissed her honeyed mouth hungrily before letting her sit back in the chair with her mask over her face. As much as he wanted to keep kissing her, he had to get the sketching done. She went back to cleaning crystals, and he went back to sketching out the crown. In the main room, nothing was as peaceful or quiet as Robin would have liked.

"You're telling me that you have a fairy living here?" Speedy smirked. He had a face mask like Robin's, but his hair was red and clipped short. He was tall and agile from the bow he used. His shoulders were bare from his arms to just past his elbows. His main colors were red and yellow. A yellow 'S' was on his chest over his heart to sport the start of his name, much like Robin's 'R'. A yellow belt framed his thin waist, and yellow boots were on his feet. His quiver was in yellow, and the arrows he had were lethal explosives that he launched with amazing precision with a specialized bow.

"She is Fae!" Starfire growled. "Not a fairy! She lacks wings! She cannot fly!"

"Wingless? Sounds sort of lame to me," Bumblebee grinned. She was a dark-skinned, black-haired teen, and her hair was worn in a set of puffy pom-pom like circles on top of her head. Her top was black and yellow striped before stopping at her mid-section to leave it bare. A yellow trim to the top of her black stretch pants went down to her shoes, and she had a set of wings that she hovered with.

"She is anything but lame!" Cyborg muttered. "She actually let's Beast Boy make good decisions! And she keeps Jericho calm."

"Well, Jericho was never the violent type," Jinx shrugged. She was a powerful mystic with the ability to make bad luck happen all around her whenever she chose. Her hair was pink and held up like two horns with purple ribbons. Her eyes were black-slit pupils like a cats' with purple irises. Her outfit was a purple and black dress with purple and black striped stockings. A set of black boots completed her outfit.

Kid Flash was grinning, as he sat with her. He was wearing a red and yellow jumpsuit with a red lightning bolt on his chest. Red pants, gloves, and red lightning bolts over the ears set him apart from the others. His mask was attached to the suit and only covered over his eyes. A shock of red-brown hair was quite apparent, as he reclined in the chair.

"Jericho does get violent. And protective now," Raven frowned.

"Especially since he plans to marry her when this is over," Robin sighed. Now everyone stared at him. Beast Boy was grinning at everyone's shock.

"I'm gonna be the best man!" Beast Boy boasted, as he continued to grin.

"Is he really going to marry her?!" Herald gaped.

"Yes. It was confirmed," Robin said. "Considering that she  _has_  to be married before the moon rises tomorrow night. Otherwise, that black box is her permanent prison. She remembered what Sinlus told her about the curse, if she was to get rid of it entirely."

"She did say that Jericho reminds her of her old love, too!" Starfire giggled.

"What?" Robin asked her with disbelief.

"Yes! I asked her! She said that all but the ears, hair, and eyes were the same!" she nodded.

"Ah...wow..." Robin blinked.

"Seriously?!" Beast Boy asked. "Huh!"

"Oh, yes! She said that her old love's eyes were like the color of the clear sky! That his hair was very long and silver-white! And his ears were long like hers, too," Starfire sighed.

"So, when do we meet her?" Jinx asked. As a response, Jericho was carrying Ambrosia in. He had finished the sketches and wanted to give them over.

"Why isn't she using my chair?!" Cyborg demanded. "I built a chair for her!"

"He...prefers to carry me. I apologize, Cyborg," she sighed. "Jericho, dear? Can you please get me the chair that Cyborg spent time in creating for me?"

Jericho frowned, but he nodded. He set her down in one of the chairs in the room before heading off to get the hovering one. Kid Flash paused at the sound of her voice under the silver mask. It sounded like a tinkling stream of bells to him. It was different and quite pleasant.

"Was the crown sketched out?" Robin asked.

"Yes, Robin. He has the drawing. He drew out both my Mother's crown and Aelfric's crown," she nodded. "It is nice to meet you new ones. My name is Ambrosia. I am sorry about the mask, but it is needed. I should not remove it at this time."

"Really? Oops!" Jinx winked, as she snapped her fingers. The mask fell off, and Ambrosia blinked her dark blue eyes. Her beauty caught everyone off guard. At Ambrosia's sharp gasp of shock, Jericho was back in the room and making a beeline for Jinx with a form of vengeance.

"Jericho!" Ambrosia cried out. He stopped in his tracks, swerved, moved to her side, and set her mask back on her face. He glared at Jinx with a form of protective hatred now, as he gathered up Ambrosia and carried her off to her room. Robin seemed to glare at Jinx, too, as he got up to follow them. Beast Boy gave her a dirty look, and even Raven looked irritated.

"What?! I just wanted to know what was under the mask..." Jinx frowned.

"You should have simply asked her politely. She did apologize for not taking it off!" Cyborg growled. "So, yeah. She's Fae. She's gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning. And Jericho's marrying her, apparently. Lucky guy, eh? Anyways, I need that drawing so I can see what I have to do. You just  _had_  to piss him off, and now I have to hope he remembers to give me what I need!"

"Ambrosia? Jericho? Where are you two?" Robin asked, as he walked into the room. _It was empty. The chair was also gone._   _Where did they go so fast?_  He heard the sound of guitar playing on the roof, and he sighed as he made his way to the top of the Tower. He saw her playing her harp, as Jericho was playing his guitar. Watching her play made him pause with surprise at how lovely she looked, even though she was wearing her mask. The tune sounded old and pleasing, but he needed the sketches and was forced to interrupt them. When he walked over, Jericho nodded to him.

"Why...would she do such a thing?" Ambrosia asked softly under her mask, as she set the harp aside. Jericho frowned, since he wasn't done playing with her. She thought again before placing the harp in her bag now and sighed. It was going to be a while before she felt the urge to play it again.

"She used to be an enemy. She's trying to be good, but old habits die hard," Robin said. "Are you okay? We have a lot to do, and we all need to be focused."

"I am all right now," she nodded. "Jericho has the drawing you need. He sketched out my Mother's crown, too, as I said before. Has Aqualad returned yet?"

"Not yet," Robin smiled, as he took the sketches. "Very nice crown! It's as beautiful as your mother's crown. And you wrote out the proper dimensions, too! Excellent! Cyborg is going to start making a machine that can help make the crowns. We'll do what we can in what time we have. Daylight's burning, and we only have until tomorrow night."

"Well...it's really until tonight before we get confronted," she sighed. "I know that Sinlus will approach at nightfall. Since he is mainly of the Unseelie Court, he has no other way to reach me. His power is mainly at night. He had even approached me right after sunset on my wedding night. It's a shame that he will never approach during the day, but he is too much of a creature of the night. I am surprised that he didn't approach me last night, but he may have other things planned."

Jericho thought and took out a crystal he held onto. He pointed at it and then at the sun. It took her a moment to understand, but Robin caught on.

"Sun crystals?! Do they exist, Ambrosia?" Robin asked.

"Ah...well...it is possible to convert a moon crystal into a sun crystal. It would need to be absolutely perfect in form. But the process is difficult. It would need to be exposed to twenty-four hours of sunlight in full. I'm not sure how that works," she thought.

"Alaska is known to have months of days just like that! Even along the equator!" Robin grinned. "When Mas y Menos get here, we can have them transport the crystals and stand guard over them. I might be able to talk to Kid Flash to help, too."

"What are you suggesting?" she frowned.

"I'm suggesting now," Robin smirked. "we turn the moon crystals that are going into the false crowns into sun crystals. If it will stun Sinlus, we can try it, right?"

"It's definitely an idea worth trying!" she nodded.

"I'll inform the others and give these sketches to Cyborg," Robin nodded back. "When Aqualad gets here, we'll sort through the crystals."

"Okay," she said. When he left, Jericho moved to get hugged by her. He looked over as Jinx approached them with Bumblebee and Speedy.

"She wants to apologize. Right?!" Bumblebee said, as she nudged Jinx hard.

"Okay, okay!" Jinx sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. There are many that are skeptical of me. I know it's hard to believe that I exist. It's fine and understandable," Ambrosia nodded.

"But, I don't think I like you very much!" Jinx frowned.

"I never asked to be liked. Did I?" Ambrosia asked. That made Jinx pause, and Jericho twitched a small smile. "Besides, Jericho loves me and I love him. That is all that matters to me, really. It is nice to be among new friends, but I don't expect to become everyone's friend. I respect others as they respect me. They choose to help me, and I tell them of my race and as much of my history as I can. I didn't ask to look the way I do. This is how I was born into the world. As it stands, if Beast Boy didn't get the idea to search for me from reading a book, I would still be cursed and sitting on a stump..."

Jericho put a finger to where her mouth would be under the mask, and now he glared at Jinx.

"You don't look that old," Bumblebee said.

"I am over eleven hundred years old," Ambrosia sighed. "The curse kept me ageless."

"What?" Speedy gaped.

"Did Robin not explain my past to you?" she asked.

"He did, but we thought it was a joke," Bumblebee frowned. Jericho was getting irritated now.  _This is my betrothed, and she is being disrespected right before my eyes!_  He had to be thankful for being mute, or he'd be screaming his head off at them. He finally stood in front of her chair and gestured for them to leave. Jinx smirked, but she paused at the sight of Kid Flash.

"You and I need to talk. Now!" he said to her. "I just had a bit of a chat with Beast Boy and Starfire. You are in the wrong this time. We saw what she looks like, thanks to you and how you 'helped' remove her mask. We see who she's with. If Jericho possesses you, I can't do anything for fear of hurting you. He's an ally, and so is she! So, she's a fairy tale creature. Fine. But she's done no wrong to us! She didn't even want to put us in danger, and we're stepping in because that's what we do. We help others in need. She's offering to show us a whole new civilization that was never seen before. She's telling us things that are fact and not fiction! And she's a princess, too! Her family and friends were murdered on her birthday, for crying out loud! And they were killed not only on her birthday, but it was her wedding day, too! She's marrying Jericho now! It's only obvious with how she's able to reach through to him, and Robin confirmed it, too. You were there for that!"

"It's just hard to believe, that's all," Jinx frowned. Jericho crossed his arms over his chest and tensed. Then he looked at Ambrosia with concern, as she tried to stand out of the chair. The armrests zipped out, and she gripped them when her legs fought her. He grimaced and had her sit back down with a gentle push and a shake of his head. At her heavy sigh of helplessness, Jericho placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"I was cursed to sit in one spot for over a thousand years," Ambrosia sighed. "My legs hold no muscle now. I was able to use my arms and hands, but my legs hold no strength."

"Is that so?" Speedy frowned.

"Yes. The moment I sat down, I was weighted down and unable to stand. The only thing that changed was my hair. It was a foot long before. Now it is over six feet long. Fae cannot cut their hair. We could...but it's painful to us. I was not as clean as this, either. How could I bathe if I could not move? But...enough talk. I still have more crystals to clean. Oh! I need to clean my wedding dress!"

"Your wedding dress?" Kid Flash asked. Jericho got out her bag from the storage section in the chair and sank his upper body into it. Jinx gaped with surprise at this, as did the others. He pulled out a long, slender, silver-white gown that resembled fine lace, but it was all beaded, bluish-white moon crystals. The beads were so tiny and delicate that they sparkled like tiny diamonds in the sun. Jericho handed Ambrosia a brush, and they started to scrub the dress clean as carefully and thoroughly as they could. Jinx was just in shock at how beautiful the dress was.

"Where did you get that dress?!" Bumblebee asked.

"It was passed down from my Mother to me before she died," Ambrosia said softly. "It is the same with her crown and heirloom jewels. I will wear them and this dress on my wedding day with Jericho. More like my wedding night, but it is all the same to me. As I'm sure you all know, if I am not married to Jericho by tomorrow night, I will be eternally cursed to stay in darkness. If I am not married at all, it will be that way. Sinlus knows this, too, and I am sure that he will approach us to ensure that it does not happen. In a sense, he will never be able to see me again if I am forever trapped away. It's either that, or Sinlus, or his black box, must be destroyed. I also need to steal back a crown he has in order for Jericho to wed me properly."

"Pretty tall order," Speedy frowned.

"Everything comes at a high cost for me, apparently," she sighed. "A very painful one."

Jericho now looked at the four Titans and frowned. Starfire flew up from her bedroom window to find them, and she gasped with delight at the wedding dress.

"That is a divine garment!" Starfire said, as her eyes twinkled with awe.

"Yes. Thank you. This is my Mother's wedding dress that was passed down to me," Ambrosia nodded. "Jericho and I are cleaning it for tomorrow night."

"You can wash it! Will it be faster?" Starfire asked.

"No. The dress is made of tiny moon crystals, you see. They are too fragile for normal washing methods. It will also need to be charged with moonlight, but I am unsure how that will happen," she sighed. Jericho made a gesture of blowing a trumpet, and Starfire giggled.

"Yes! Our friend, Herald! He may be able to help! I will ask him!" she said and flew off. As Ambrosia went back to cleaning her dress with Jericho, no one noticed the shadowy form approach them a short moment later. Everyone was too enthralled with the dress that was being cleaned.

"You four. Robin is looking for you. Go," Raven said, as she appeared from the wave of shadows. Speedy, Bumblebee, Jinx, and Kid Flash left quickly to keep from irking her. "You two. Everything okay? Something wrong?"

Jericho made the gesture of Jinx with his hair up in horns and another of wanting to throttle her.

"Dearest!" Ambrosia said with surprise, but she was giggling all the same.

"Jinx. Yeah. I know," Raven grinned. "She went in my room once. I still don't like that. No one is allowed in my room without permission. Anyways...very pretty dress. Your mom's?"

"Yes. My wedding dress," she nodded. "It is made of tiny moon crystals. Not one of them can be damaged. Luckily, all are in one piece and still whole."

"Good. Starfire is talking to Herald. If he can help charge the crystals, I want him to charge the one you lent me. I need to test it. I still need it cleaned. Show me how to clean it?" she asked, as she produced the yellow crystal. Ambrosia nodded and another brush was found in her bag. She showed her how to carefully scrub the crystal clean of debris and to buff it with the soft cloth. Once it was clean, Raven was speechless at how brilliantly it sparkled. She was impressed.

"Old magic is hard to find now," Ambrosia sighed, as she went back to cleaning her gown. "Even harder to preserve. When we are able to head to my old home, you will find much to read, if the library still stands. We will know when we get there."

"I look forward to it," Raven said with complete sincerity. "And there's Herald with Starfire."

"Now  _that's_  a dress!" Herald whistled. "Is it ready?"

"Not yet. But, the crystal I lent Raven is. Test the moon with that?" Ambrosia asked.

"Yes. Let's test it," Raven nodded. Starfire watched with curiosity now. Jericho continued to clean the dress with Ambrosia, as Herald brought his horn to his lips and blew in it. A hole appeared to reveal the moon, as it turned slowly in its orbit from space. Raven opened her hand to expose the yellow moon crystal to the light of the moon that shone through. At first, nothing happened. Then the crystal started to glow as it charged.

"It's...working?!" Ambrosia asked with shock.

"How beautiful!" Starfire gasped.

"That it is," Raven said with a bit of surprise. Jericho took out a sheet of soft silk to place on the ground to keep the dirt and roughness away from the crystals he was going to bring out next. He brought out the cleaned moon crystals and set them up swiftly in small rows. They were soon charging, and the dress was now frantically worked on.

"How long will the hole to the moon stay open for?" Ambrosia asked.

"For as long as needed, but it's best to close it and reopen it for safety," Herald said, as he closed the hole and blew his horn again to create a new rift. "We don't want to rip a hole in space, right?"

"That would be bad," Raven grinned, as the yellow moon crystal now seemed to glow brilliantly.

"The crystal is charged and ready for your tests," Ambrosia smiled. "Normally, it takes much longer than that to charge. The moonlight from that hole is unfiltered and pure. Full moon nights are always the most potent and charge crystals the fastest. With your holes to the moon, you can ensure the full moon always shows. It's a very good thing! And my dress is ready. I need to clean my Mother's crown now. Jericho?"

He nodded and took out the crown. Raven blinked at the sight of it, and Herald was gaping. It was carefully cleaned, but Ambrosia held it in her lap while it charged. It was too risky to set on the ground. Jericho stood behind her chair with his hands on her shoulders. He watched the wedding dress start to glow when it charged, and small sparkles started to shimmer in the air. He kept an eye out for anything that may be watching them. The last thing he needed was for someone to get the wrong idea. The dress was flipped over for the other side of it to charge when the top part glowed. The moment the dress was fully charged, he moved to gather it up quickly and put in the bag.

Ambrosia watched her mother's crown start to glow now when the charging took effect. Herald had to close and reopen the hole to the moon four times before the crown was fully charged up. It glowed and sparkled as brilliantly as the dress did. When Robin came up with Cyborg, Starfire was beaming, as she pointed at the crown. Beast Boy was next to check on them, and he paused with wonder at the sight of it.

"So, you can't wear it?" Cyborg frowned.

"No. Not until Aelfric's crown is brought towards it. If I tried to wear the crown now, it will not sit right on my head. It will try to fall off," she sighed, and Jericho took the crown to set it in the bag. Raven was thinking the whole time, and she looked over as Aqualad walked up to them.

"I brought the chest. It took me a while to find it," he sighed. "Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"It is understandable," Ambrosia nodded. Jericho nodded to him and walked with her, as the chair moved her into the main room where the chest was. There was a small crowd of Titans around it, and Aqualad had to clear them all away. When he opened it, she paused at the sight of so many moon crystals.  _It had to have been from a raiding party!_  Jericho looked at her with concern.

"Is something wrong?" Aqualad asked.

"There is no way so many moon crystals could have been simply placed in this chest! Many of these had to have been stolen by other Fae," she frowned. "I cannot tell, though. All of these crystals are loose, too. If they were set in various settings, I could try to see which clan they belonged to. But...with all the settings gone...it's impossible to tell..."

"But, we can still use them, right?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes. We can," she nodded. "Jericho, dear? You know as well as I do on what to look for."

He smiled and nodded. A chair was pulled up, and the sorting started. Flawed ones were set aside to be tested on and possibly fixed. Blue ones were highly prized, and she was surprised at how many were in the chest. There were quite a few flawless ones, but it was the one at the bottom that had her in shock. She pulled out the large, blue crystal and noticed it was the exact size, color, and shape of her mother's crown crystal. Jericho looked at her as he thought, and now he gaped. He tried to sign to her quickly to what he recalled from her memories. She didn't understand. He brought out her mother's crown and pointed at the crystal. Then he pointed at the one in her hand. She thought and now she paled.

"What's wrong?" Raven frowned.

"This crystal chest was from my clan! Jericho! You're right! This chest was lost at sea! This crystal was designed to be a backup, if something happened to the one in Mother's crown!" she blinked.

"So, this chest belongs to you, anyways," Aqualad chuckled.

"Yes!" she beamed with joy. "We can use this crystal in the duplicate crown! It will easily pass for Mother's crown now! I was worried at first, but now we have a chance!"

"Now that's good news that I wanted to hear!" Robin grinned.

"Only Mother's crown has a crystal of this size and quality. Aelfric's crown only holds small crystals. We shall be able to proceed with the duplicates," she smiled. Jericho squeezed her shoulder and thought. He went back into her bag and brought out four bars of solid gold.

"Is that what I think it is?!" Jinx gasped.

"Yes. Bars of gold," Ambrosia nodded. "Cyborg, you can melt these down to make the crowns. It should be enough. If it isn't, we will see what else we can do. Reuse the gold that is in excess."

"Gotcha!" he grinned and took them. "I'll start in a bit. I need to finish the molds."

Jericho made a gesture of looking through a magnifying glass, and Robin grinned, as he said, "I'm sure you'll be able to inspect them, Jericho."

"Gold is always a soft metal. We will be able to carve out flaws while the metal is hot," Ambrosia nodded. "How much daylight is left?"

"We have about ten hours," Herald said.

"We can use these crystals to make the sun crystals," she said, as she gathered up the chosen ones.

"Kid Flash, can you take them to the equator? They need a solid twenty-four hours of sunlight to charge," Robin said. Raven thought and held up her hand to stop him.

"It took no time at all to charge the moon crystals with Herald's help. Let's do the same thing we did with the moon, but with the sun," Raven grinned.

"You think it will work?" Starfire blinked.

"One way to find out," Herald nodded. Several crystals were set out on a heat-resistant surface, and Herald blew his horn. The heat of the sun showed in the hole, and the crystals started to sparkle and shimmer instead of glow. Ambrosia was in a complete state of shock. Jericho was grinning, as he kept a hand on her shoulder.

"You know," Beast Boy grinned. "Herald could bring sunlight in if he had to, right?"

"To help out with the sun crystals during the wedding?" Robin found himself thinking. "Now that's possible! It may actually work better than using the sun crystals, too."

"I think Sinlus is going to have more than he bargained for," Raven smirked.

"Let's hope so," Herald chuckled.

"But, he is half Fae, too. He could be immune to sunlight," Ambrosia frowned. "We don't know for sure right now. Anything is possible."

"Either way, he's in for a fight," Beast Boy grinned a bit more. The new sun crystals were gathered up and taken to Cyborg.

"Sinlus is more of a trickster than a fighter to me," Ambrosia sighed. "I never know what to expect when it comes to him."

Jericho frowned and thought. He looked at her, and he knew she was exhausted.  _She hardly slept at all from all the crying she did during the night. She was over-exerting herself now. The crowns needed to be forged and the crystals placed within them. That was going to take time._ He took her bag, and she looked at him questionably. Going to the chest, he let the others watch in shock, as the chest shrank down to fit in the bag. Once it was secured, he operated the chair controls next to her to lead her out of the room. Robin frowned and tapped on his shoulder, as he was leaving with her.

"Where are you going with her?" he asked. Jericho made a yawning motion and pointed to her.

"He is trying to tell us that she's tired," Raven said. Then Jericho pointed at his tunic and made crying motions. "Now he's telling us that she was crying last night. Remember?"

"Oh!" Robin blinked and nodded. "Okay. Yeah, I see now. Let her get a little sleep. The crowns still need to be made, so now's a good time for her to rest."

"Are you sure?" Ambrosia asked. Jericho squeezed her shoulder with a smile.

"I'll stand guard!" Beast Boy grinned. At his nod, he was able to follow them into her room. He turned into a large ram to knock out anyone that tried to get in. He noticed that a bed was placed in the room now with some basic furniture. That made him a touch more relieved, since she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor or in the chair. Jericho gathered up Ambrosia to place her in the bed, and he removed her mask to set aside. She had dark circles that were starting to appear under her eyes, and he moved quickly to lay back in the bed with her. Beast Boy looked over, snorted, shifted into a small cat, and jumped onto the bed to curl up with them.

Ambrosia felt Jericho unravel her hair to keep it from catching in sleep. She turned to rest her head against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Beast Boy had actually fallen asleep rather quickly. He was known to take naps during the day. Jericho smiled at her and kissed her gently. When she closed her eyes to rest, he was soon resting with her.


	4. Chapter 4

He woke up, but realized he was still dreaming. This time the dream was different. The light was behind him, and he was guarding it. He was successful in reaching it. The light he protected was hovering behind him, and he saw a doorway appear. When it opened, there was a male figure standing there. The stance was proud and honorable, as though he was someone of vast importance.

"I finally reached through to you!" the figure sighed with a melodious voice. It even had a regal tone to it to show he was royalty. The light behind him now moved to swirl around the figure with a form of joy, and Jericho paused with surprise at who the swirling light revealed.

"Aelfric!" Jericho whispered. Then he was shocked that he could speak.

"This is your dream, not mine, Jericho," Aelfric laughed. "I'm glad that you reached our betrothed before  _he_  could. There is much I need to tell you and not much time was granted to me."

"I'm all ears," he nodded with his new, deep tone of voice. It actually had a deep, noble ring to it that made it sound like he was a true ruler. It baffled him slightly, but he pushed the thought aside.

"Good. Sinlus is aware of everything you're doing. He knows about the sun crystals. He knows about the duplicate crowns. He. Knows. Everything," Aelfric growled. "But, there is a way past this. You can't tell anyone, or he'll find out. There is something you can do that will destroy the curse in full."

"Tell me."

"The duplicate crown being made for me is an exact copy and likeness, thanks to you. The technology used to make the crown is incredible! Only a Dwarven Master could give life to a crown, but only of original design. Hmm, I'm wasting time. Anyways, you need to swap out the sun crystals with fully charged moon crystals. Sinlus...well...he tarnished my crown. It's corrupted. He kept trying to force it on his head, and now my crown will accept no one. It will not aid you in any way. The duplicate crown can become my true crown. When you go to Ambrosia's desecrated home, you'll find my skeleton by the old altar. It should still be there. Place the duplicate crown  _with the moon crystals in place_  on my skull's brow! I cannot stress this enough! Once the crown is in place, I will personally acknowledge it as my true crown. The crown that Sinlus has is very special, you see. It's alive with a consciousness of its own. It knows what I plan to do. It wants to be free, too, and has already agreed to what I want to do.

"Once the spirit of the crown is free and safely in the duplicate crown, the one that Sinlus has will die of neglect as a regular crown would. Suggest to Ambrosia to wear her wedding gown. She may do so, anyways. She's smart and catches on quickly to various things. Keep her mother's crown on you after I accept the new crown. Hopefully, she will understand and will switch out her duplicate crown for her mother's true one. She can even throw the duplicate at Sinlus to stall him. I don't care. As long as she holds her mother's crown, and you hold the new crown and they touch...that is what matters. Once they touch, put her crown on her brow so she can put my crown on yours. In life, I was a very powerful Fae Mage. I still retain quite a bit of my power in death, since I was able to reach you. What strength I have left, I must save for the power transfer of the crowns."

"I see what you're saying," Jericho nodded. "I'll do exactly as you suggest."

"I would hope so," Aelfric smiled. "However, there is one other favor I would ask of you."

"Name it!"

"She will likely bear a son for you as her firstborn. An heir for the new Fae Realms of your clan with her. I want you to name him after me so that I can be reborn with the same likeness that you see me as now," he said with a hint of sorrow. "I may not be a part of my betrothed's life the way it was planned, but I can at least be a part of her life as a child and be able to grow up with her. I will not have any personal memories of my old life, but I will regain my powers as a powerful Fae Mage. If you would have me as your son..."

"I would be honored to call you my son, Aelfric," Jericho said with a sad smile.

"Then...I would be honored...to call you my Father," he said. They hugged as a father and son would and clasped hands before Aelfric was forced back to the doorway. "I need to leave now to set up my position by my skeleton and preserve my strength. Remember! Swap out the sun crystals for moon crystals so that the true crown can be claimed!"

"I will!" Jericho vowed. The light returned to hover near him and darkness surrounded him...


	5. Chapter 5

When Jericho woke up, he realized that not even ten minutes went by. His heart was racing from the dream he experienced, but it was important.  _I now have something I need to do._  He rose up and pressed a kiss to Ambrosia's temple. Beast Boy yawned and stretched before looking at him curiously. Jericho made a movement that he needed to do something, and the cat nodded. He got a fond scratching on the top of his head, and Jericho left quickly.

He knew that various crystals were being charged in Raven's room by Herald. He also knew that Raven wouldn't let him into her room without a reason. He winced and remembered Aelfric's words.  _I can't tell anyone. As if I could speak out, anyways! But, maybe they could figure it out?_ He paused and walked back into the bedroom to go straight for the bag. Ambrosia was still in a deep sleep, and Beast Boy was sleeping again. He pulled out the chest as quietly as possible from the bag and silently sorted through the crystals. He found the flawless ones he needed and put the chest back in the bag to secure it again. With a sigh, he left once more and went to Raven's room.

"Yes? Oh. Jericho? What's up?" Raven asked, as her door opened. He showed her the uncharged crystals and made a gesture for a crescent moon. "Moon crystals need to be charged? Hmm. Why? Is it important?"

At his frantic nodding, she blinked. _It had to be for Ambrosia somehow. Everything that he did now has been for her. With the way he looked, it was serious._ Then she asked, "Can you tell me?"

At the look he gave her, she realized that he couldn't tell her.  _He knew something was going on. Something big._  She thought and gestured for him to come in.  _He wouldn't be at my door for any old reason unless it was important. He needed the crystals charged._

"What's up?" Herald asked.

"He needs to charge some moon crystals. Seems important," Raven frowned. At Jericho's nod, the crystals were set up to be charged. Raven noticed the specific ones that were picked out and muttered, "They look like the ones for..."

He placed a finger to her mouth quickly to show she couldn't say anything. Now her eyes snapped wide open with shocked knowing. He made a shushing gesture with his finger to his mouth and gave a nervous glance around. She gave a curt nod.  _She would keep quiet from here on out._

"What's going on?" Herald asked.

"He needs spare moon crystals for Ambrosia. In case she needs them, apparently," Raven said with a mild, uncaring shrug. Jericho nodded again, and the hole was called for the moon. Once they were charged, Raven looked at Jericho questionably, as he gathered them up with a sigh. She had an idea as to where he had to go next.

"Where are you going?" Herald asked.

"I'm going to see if the crowns are done. You know? So we can get a move on. You coming, Jericho?" Raven asked. He nodded and they left. They moved swiftly to Cyborg's extensive workshop in the underground garage section of the Tower. She looked at Jericho and muttered, "I'm going to ask Cyborg a few hard questions. He owes me money."

Jericho gave a hint of a smirk.  _She was buying me time._   _She now understood what was happening. She knew that Sinlus was watching us, and she was going to put on a nice little show to throw him off. She figured out what was happening._  As she went to torment Cyborg, Jericho went to the sun crystals that were set aside for Aelfric's duplicate crown. A quick swipe and the exchange was done. The moon crystals would be placed in the crown instead of the sun crystals.

"Come on, Raven!" Cyborg groaned, as he worked on the crowns to get them perfect. "And for the last time, I don't owe you any cash! I paid up last week!"

"True. But...now I have to ask. Are you scared?" Raven smirked. "We'll be going into uncharted territory. Technology may not exist there. Are you sure you won't need backup power?"

"I doubt it," Cyborg snorted. Raven looked over to see Jericho leaving the area.  _The swap was done._  She seemed to shrug, pointed out a flaw that was missed and walked away.

"Heading back to Ambrosia?" she asked, as she walked with Jericho. At his nod, she thought and said, "If her home is in Ireland, you know it's nightfall there. Right? We'd be a day ahead when we got there. Will that be...okay? And the moon cycle could be different, too, right?"

He paused and gaped. _Could it be that we were working in the wrong time zone the whole time?_  He thought again and shook his head.  _The time zone was wherever Ambrosia was. If we went to Ireland, the time zone for the curse would change with them. If we left while it was becoming nightfall here, then we would actually be safe in Ireland, as the daylight there would buy us time to prepare before the last night hit. It would be the same thing for the moon._

_It was all bound to her curse, and the moon would show up for her, regardless of the situation. It was a good thing that Ambrosia was resting now! Everyone was going to be exhausted when the whole thing was done._ Raven moved in front of him and muttered, "I'm sure that, when the crowns are done, we'll be leaving. Make sure she gets plenty of rest. I predict another hour before we leave. We also found out about the rune. It's of extremely ancient origin. Back to the Dark Ages, it seems. This Sinlus guy must be an ancient old guy if he's resorting to old tricks, eh?"

Jericho grinned with a nod and made a gesture of an old man about to kick the bucket. Raven chuckled and looked over at Starfire, as she flew towards them.

"Is there a joke going on? May I partake in it?" she grinned.

"Oh, just wondering if old man Sinlus is older than we think," Raven smirked. Jericho grinned and looked over at Beast Boy running up to him in his cat form. At his frantic meowing, he grimaced and ran back to Ambrosia's room. She was sitting up in her bed and frowning.

"Jericho? Where did you go?" she asked. He smiled and moved to hug her tight. She could tell he was excited about something, but he showed nothing else. He grabbed a pad and pen to write out that they had about an hour before the crowns were ready. She beamed at this, and he kissed her forehead. He lay back in the bed to let her press into his side. She sighed and whispered, "An hour, if that. I'd better get more sleep, then. Promise me you won't leave?"

He gave her a glowing look of love and kissed her gently to show he wasn't going anywhere. He glanced over at the door and frowned, as he heard Beast Boy keeping someone back.

"Dude! She's sleeping!" Beast Boy scowled.

"She had to have just woken up! Jericho ran back here," Speedy said.

"He wasn't there, because he needed to do something for her, I think. He went back to her the moment she found him gone. I went to get him for her. He's in there now, okay? I'm sure she needs more rest," he argued. "She hasn't been getting enough sleep lately! She cried all night last night!"

"She does need more rest," Raven said behind Speedy. He jumped at the sound of her voice and turned quickly. She had her arms over her chest and didn't look amused.

"Friend Ambrosia needs to sleep! Stay out of her personal space!" Starfire growled, as she hovered, her eyes glowing a brilliant green.

"What did you want to ask her, anyways?" Beast Boy frowned.

"I wanted to know more about her curse," he said.

"I could fill you in on that!" Beast Boy growled. "She's had too much happen already. She was freed last night by me and Jericho. I saw her as a unicorn, and she told me I had to convince someone that she existed. Of course, no one would have believed me, but I knew that Jericho can see memories. I begged him to look in my head, and yeah...he hesitated. But, in the end, he did. We saved her and brought her back here. The rest is history."

"Jericho...looked in your head...and didn't go crazy. Okay. Now I've heard everything," Raven grinned. She was deliberately sounding like this to throw off Sinlus if he was watching.

"My head's not that bad! Most of the time..." Beast Boy pouted. Starfire and Speedy looked at each other, as they tried to keep from laughing.

"Just knowing you have a brain he can look at is scary enough for me," she smirked. Jericho was shivering with soundless laughter at Beast Boy's outburst, and Ambrosia giggled in the side of his chest.

"Poor Beast Boy," Ambrosia sighed. Jericho squeezed her gently and closed his eyes. He felt her give him her weight as sleep claimed her again. Contentment filtered through his mind now.  _Hopefully we will be married before the night in Ireland was over._  He knew it was going to be a bit of a battle to get through it, too.  _Her birthday was tomorrow._  It would be her birthday when they arrived in Ireland, now that he pieced that bit together. He didn't want her to have a bad birthday ever again.

At the same time, his heart ached with sorrow for Aelfric.  _He didn't deserve his fate. But, if it didn't happen, I wouldn't have gained Ambrosia. And, with Aelfric as my future son, I'll be giving him a second chance at the life he should have had. His father was murdered, too. Likely by Sinlus._ His new plan of action was to marry Ambrosia first. Then subdue Sinlus and make him spill his guts and memories of everything. As a royal Fae, Jericho would be able to punish Sinlus the way he needed to.  _Likely a death sentence on the spot._  He wasn't sure what would happen when he accepted the crown, but at least Ambrosia would be safe, free of her curse and his wife.

He gazed down at her sleeping form with a smile and looked up at the ceiling of the room.  _I am a Titan. A hero for the human race. My son would follow in my footsteps this way. My other future children would be doing the same, too. The Titans could use a Fae Mage. They were insanely powerful._ Now he had to wonder how Aelfric was defeated.  _He had to have been caught by surprise._   _Or Ambrosia could have been used as a bargaining chip._   _If Ambrosia was threatened, he would have never put up a fight. No one could have._ The only way to tell what happened was through Sinlus's memories. Now he tried to recall what Sinlus looked like.

From what Ambrosia's memories had revealed, Sinlus had dark, purple-black hair.  _It was spiked on the top and stretched down like a cape. It wasn't a mullet, but it could have looked like one. His ears were sharply pointed, but not as long as a Fae's were. His eyes were slanted, almost cat-like in nature, and solid black to show his Elven side, but the black eyes showed he was controlled by the Unseelie Court. He gave his soul to the Unseelie Court, and it was his soul that contained much of his Elven side. He may have given that side up as a sacrifice to get in favor with them. His skin was deathly pale, too._

_How was he half Fae?_  Then he thought and realized it was his voice. _It was too soothing. Too kind. It was the same voice that a snake would use to lure in prey. He had the voice of a Bard. He used his voice to pull on the strings of others._ Jericho focused on what clothes he wore, and he realized they were always dark and metallic with a show of small spikes on all of the moving joint parts.  _It was almost like a form of shadow-based armor. He never changed out of this garb. He always wore the same thing._

Now Jericho recalled her memories of how she first met this creature.  _It was at a ball. A great gala. Several members of the Unseelie Court were there to show they were being peaceful. Sinlus was a high-ranking Court member, so, of course, he got an invitation. As for Ambrosia...she was stunning that night._ Even as she examined herself in a mirror for him to see, it was only obvious. _She was wearing a gown of the lightest shade of blue with silver overlace. Her silver hair with golden highlights wasn't very long then. She wore it up in a simple bun. The jewelry she wore was quite basic, but she didn't need the excess trinkets. Her beauty was more than enough._

_She had walked into the building with her parents. Her mother was a reflection of her beauty, but was softer in comparison. Her father was strong, incredibly handsome, and fiercely protective of his family._ He couldn't really get a good description of her parents right now, but he was sure he would in time. He refocused on the memory. _She was expecting to see her betrothed, but he didn't show up yet. She was moving to the balcony and noticed that Sinlus was staring at her with his jaw dropped. She knew that something bad was going to happen. He approached her swiftly and started to try and pry some information out of her._

_She had refused to give him much, save her name, her status in Fae society, and who her parents were. When Aelfric showed up, Sinlus realized who he was by the way he defended her._ It was then that Jericho realized why Aelfric was targeted so severely. _Sinlus was insulted and shamed by the youthful Fae. Sinlus also knew that Aelfric knew that he murdered his father. He was hinting it at the way he forced Sinlus down and away from Ambrosia._

_Sinlus was told that no true Fae would dare to harm another, and that he was just another hybrid that was bent to the Unseelie Court's ways. The insults cost Aelfric his life, and Ambrosia was an innocent pulled around by a creature's lust. Her family and friends were simply bonus kills for the Court._

"Jericho?" Ambrosia whispered, as she blinked awake. He didn't realize that he was breathing hard from the enraged thoughts that were going through his head. He grimaced and hugged her tight to him, as he shivered for control now. There was so much that happened in her past that it was starting to affect him. As he hugged her, he started to calm down. He regained his composure. He was able to think clearly again.  _She truly is my salvation._  He looked at her in wonder now, and she kissed him softly.

_I want her as my wife._  There was no hesitation about it. _I want her to have my children._  He kissed her back, and it got hungrier now when he moved over her. The scent and taste of honey was starting to fully overpower his senses again. A noiseless gasp escaped him when her hands felt up his back. He started to shiver, but now it was with controlled desire.  _He wanted me._  She knew it. All that she could do was gasp softly and whisper out, "We...aren't married yet...Jericho..."

He clenched his jaw in frustration.  _Why did things always have to go so horribly wrong?!_ He pulled her up to sit upright with him, and he held her securely in his lap. He started to kiss her again, but then his head swerved quickly to the door as it opened.

"I'm telling you, she's...sleeping...ah...hey, guys..." Beast Boy said. He found himself blushing beet red at what he was witnessing. There was a small crowd staring at them in the doorway, and Jericho simply flashed a large, wicked grin at them. Ambrosia's legs were practically exposed from the dark blue dress, since she was straddling Jericho's lap from the way she was sitting up. She was blushing just as hard as the others were at the door. Jericho made a movement for the door to close now. None of them seemed to notice it from their shock.

"Well...they are betrothed...right?" Starfire blinked.

"They should be married first," Raven said, as she regained her composure.

"Heavy petting in Titan Tower. Robin will be tickled pink with this news," Speedy grinned.

"He's petting her?" Starfire asked. Bumblebee started laughing, and Raven sighed. Jinx looked at Kid Flash, and they were both a bit speechless at what they saw.

"Jericho, more Titans are showing up. They're curious. They want to see her. Um..." Raven tried to focus on the issue at hand, and couldn't help the small blush that appeared. "Make sure she's presentable. You have five minutes, so don't try anything funny."

Jericho gave another grin and a shrug. Ambrosia was his fiancée and betrothed now. What they did shouldn't be a surprise, but he knew it wasn't often that such things happened in the Tower itself.

"I guess I should clean up?" Ambrosia whispered to him after the door closed. He smirked, kissed her again, and helped her stand to straighten out her dress. Her mask was given over to her, and he sighed. Then he looked at her loosened hair, and he needed to help fix that. As he worked on her hair, Robin was wondering why everyone was flustered and giggling like crazy. There were quite a few new Titans there now, and all of them were getting in on the juicy gossip.

"Did I miss something?" Robin asked.

"Oh, yeah," Speedy smirked.

"A free show!" Bumblebee giggled.

"What show?" Robin asked.

"Um..." Starfire frowned. "Jericho was petting Ambrosia. I think."

"Petting? What?!" Robin frowned with confusion.

"They were making out pretty hard, and we caught them in the act," Kid Flash grinned. That had Robin go speechless and turn completely red with shock.

"Making out?" Starfire frowned again.

"They were kissing," Raven muttered.

"You know? Smooching? Locking lips?" Beast Boy sighed.

"Okay! I get it!" Robin said quickly, as his face got redder.

"I was trying to explain it to Star," Beast Boy grinned.

"I still do not understand," she frowned. Everyone either gave small sighs, blushed, giggled, or started laughing at everything. Aqualad was clearly grinning and looked over, as Jericho led Ambrosia's chair to the others. He had such a smug, knowing grin on his face that laughter and flustered looks were given all around. Ambrosia was just lucky her mask was on. The look she had on her face would have been priceless from how badly she was blushing underneath it.

"Eh..." Robin paused when he saw them. "I trust that nothing else happened?"

"I think we stopped them before it got any worse," Bumblebee grinned. Jericho thought and nodded. Robin ran a hand over his face, and more snickers were heard around the room.

"It's nothing as bad as what Kid Flash and I do," Jinx shrugged.

"Okay!" Robin sighed hard. "Anyways, we need to refocus, Titans!"

"Robin," Raven said carefully. "we need to stick to the original plan. Right?"

"True," he nodded. Then he paused at how she was acting.  _It was as though we were being watched. Did she know something?_   _Even Jericho seemed uneasy._  If they were being watched, then he could only guess by who. That didn't bode well for him.

"Are the crowns finished?" Ambrosia asked softly.

"The last few crystals are being put in place. You'll need to look at them to make sure they can be proper duplicates. When you know we can use them, Herald will take us to Ireland," Robin said.

"I have the coordinates. I'm ready to take us all there," Herald nodded.

"I have the crowns!" Cyborg grinned, as he brought them over. Jericho squeezed Ambrosia's shoulder and moved to help inspect them. A couple flaws were found, pointed out, fixed, and now the crowns were brought over to her. She marveled at the exact likeness of her mother's crown. At the sight of Aelfric's duplicate crown, she gasped painfully hard. The mountain waterfalls, lush forest carvings, and gentle images of children at play with wild animals of all kinds were all in place with utmost perfection. Jericho looked at her with a pained expression and grimaced when her mask slipped off her face. With her beauty exposed, the Titans that joined them were in shock. Jericho replaced her mask and glanced with warning at the others to show that she was his.

"We know she's yours," Aqualad sighed.

"She is princess?" a heavily muscled woman in a black and yellow, cat-like wrestling outfit asked. Long, brown, curly hair was flipped neatly, as she studied the one in the chair through her black and yellow striped mask.

"Yes, Pantha. She is," Herald nodded. "And she's betrothed to Jericho, oddly enough."

"If they were kissing in the bedroom, you'd think so," a Titan resembling a walking flame chuckled. His arms and head were exposed as flames. His jumpsuit was all black with a red collar, red waist line, and red calf lines.

"They have to be married by tomorrow night, Hot Spot. No later than that, or she's lost to us and everyone else around her," Robin frowned. "It will actually be considered 'tonight' in Ireland when we get there. Right, Herald?"

"That's right. Big time jump across the world," Herald nodded.

"Jericho had agreed to be a part of our team in the south. Jericho? Will you still be able to do this?" Hot Spot asked him now. Jericho thought and gestured to Ambrosia. If she stayed with him, then he would be able to come back to the Titans to help. "I think we can arrange a spot for her. If her family is truly gone, then she'll need a place of safety. And, if she's a Fae, she's gotta be magical, right?"

"I will gain various advantages, yes," Ambrosia nodded. "However, it will not be until my marriage is completed with Jericho. I didn't say anything at first, since I wasn't sure of what would happen, but I can say a few things now. My true magical strengths would lie in healing and animal communication with a touch of Nature magic. A Fae is a creature of Nature. I will not hold the power over Nature, but I can speak with animals and various plants. To an extent. I may even be able to have plants do things for me, but I will always have the plants put back to the way they were before, as well as the landscape."

"You'll be able to heal?" Robin smiled.

"Yes. Normally, it's the men of the Fae race that are the offensive ones. Women are defensive and natural healers. They can be warriors and be just as deadly as the men, but that is if there is no other option. Just so you all know, once Jericho becomes my husband and a King of the Fae, he will gain a rather intricate set of powers to boost the ones he already has. It's a given," she chuckled.

"What will he gain?" Speedy asked.

"Let's just say," she chuckled again. "he will not be someone you want to piss off. He will have the power to invoke Fae law. He will become a royalty figure of the Fae, and this will give him the instinctive right. He will gain a power called the Will of Judgment."

"And, if he can see in the minds of others to really judge if they are bad or good..." Beast Boy grinned. "What's the penalty if they are really bad?"

"Usually death on the spot," Ambrosia whispered. That made everyone go silent. "If the convicted one is innocent, then they are released and nothing is done, save a heavy warning of what may have happened. If the Judgment is mild, they may have their powers blocked for up to ten years. It could be more, if the Judgment calls for it. It can vary."

"That's insane!" Kid Flash gaped.

"To not be able to use my powers...I wouldn't know what to do!" Jinx frowned.

"Then I guess that everyone needs to be on good behavior once Jericho marries her. Right?" Robin seemed to grin. More silence was given. Jericho was standing next to her with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were closed, and a light smile was on his face. He opened them to look at Mas y Menos. They were twin brothers and whispering to each other in rapid Spanish. The twins were extremely short in white jumpsuits with red markings. One had a plus and the other had a minus on their chests. When they held hands, they could move at near impossible speeds.

"The crowns are perfect, though. We should not delay," Ambrosia sighed. Jericho held up his hand to make her wait, and he took out her bag. Reaching in, many of the Titans gaped in surprise when he shoved his upper body into it. He pulled out her mother's crown, and it sparkled with the powerful charges from the moon. He compared it carefully to the duplicate to ensure that it was perfect. Ambrosia smiled softly under her mask. Normally, the crown would not allow anyone else to touch it when it was charged like this, but it 'knew' that Jericho was to be the next one in line to be King. It was making an exception, since he had to place the crown on her brow to make her his Queen. Instead of putting the crown back in the bag, Jericho decided to carry it on him and put the duplicate in the bag. He did this discreetly, and he carried the duplicate of Aelfric's crown on him, too. No one seemed to notice what he did, and that was what he wanted to happen.

"So, you really want to marry her, huh?" Cyborg grinned. Jericho looked at him with a raised brow. He pulled Ambrosia up to stand carefully, slipped off her mask, and kissed her as his response. That had snickers, blushes, giggles, and small groans happen all over the room. She was blushing hard when the mask was put back on her, and he winked to the others.

"More heavy petting in the Tower!" Kid Flash smirked.

"So...that is what 'heavy petting' is?!" Starfire asked. Laughter erupted now, and she looked at Robin thoughtfully. At his intense, gaping blush, the laughter reached a whole new level.

"Starfire..." Raven grimaced, as her own face was just as red as Robin's. "Now is not the time."

"Ah, yeah!" Robin said, and he cleared his throat to get rid of the high-pitched nervousness in it. "We have a curse to stop and a bad guy to bring to justice! Titans! Are you with me?!"

"As long as you're focused, then sure," Hot Spot teased. Robin made a face at his friend and got a loud, snickering laugh in response.

"Wow. When Jericho wants to make a statement, he really knows how!" Cyborg grinned. Jericho nodded and helped Ambrosia sit in the chair.

"Can anyone use that bag?" Speedy asked.

"Only if you are familiar with how Fae magic works," Ambrosia giggled softly. "Since Jericho was able to see my memories, he knows what to do. Show them, dear?"

Jericho nodded and took the bag. He flipped it inside out to show it was empty. That made everyone gape and whisper with surprise. He fixed the bag back up, reached in, and pulled out a charged red moon crystal. On holding it, he invoked its power to let it sparkle and make the room glow with a form of indescribable wonder and awe. He made the room appear enchanting and full of life.

"Amazing!" Raven gaped. The magic even seemed to make her cloak glow. No one could doubt what Ambrosia was now. She was a princess of the Fae and would be welcomed into the Titan's force as a valuable member and ally.

"I can also use the power of various crystals to summon small objects. Even create food and water. But...we are wasting time," Ambrosia sighed. "Once everything is taken care of, I will reveal more of my race's mystery and enchantments."

"She's right," Robin nodded.

"I read that weapons could be enchanted," Beast Boy mused.

"It's true," Ambrosia nodded. "When I become a Queen of the Fae, I will be able to study in it, as it will be a defensive thing for me. I can become a skilled Enchantress. I will not disappoint the Titans. You all are helping me so much with this...I must repay you all."

Jericho rested a hand on her shoulder, as the crystal dimmed out in his other hand. He set it back in her bag, and he kissed the top of her head. Now he looked at Robin and nodded.  _It was time to go._

"Isn't there a village near there?" Beast Boy asked. Kid Flash moved to whisper to Herald.

"Let me have Kid Flash check it out first," Herald said and blew his horn. Kid Flash suddenly vanished through it with incredible speed to check if it was true.

"It may still be dark in Ireland," Raven frowned.

"It's nearing dawn now," Kid Flash said, as he reappeared through the hole and Herald closed it up. "I just checked. The village near there is empty. The villagers may have thought the hill near it was cursed. Been abandoned for years."

He presented an Irish clover as proof of his quick check-up.

"If it's nearing dawn, that means that Sinlus can't interfere with us as we set up a trap," Robin grinned. "We'll have to plan out our actions carefully."

"Discreetly," Raven warned in a soft mutter. At Jericho's small nod, Robin thought.

"When does your marriage take place? Or need to?" Cyborg asked Ambrosia.

"The ceremony can only be done when the moon is out. It cannot be done during the day," Ambrosia frowned. "We will have plenty of time to prepare, and I will need to make myself presentable. My wedding dress will only glow in the light of the full moon when it is near its peak. That will be the time to make sure both true crowns are in our possession. During the day, we will gather what clues we can on what happened and what went on in the past thousand years."

Jericho thought and knew that he would need to make decent wedding clothes for himself.  _That would be the time to do it._

"I guess," Robin chuckled. "all Titans will be invited to a wedding?"

"Whoever wants to show up," Ambrosia agreed.

"The more the merrier, right?" Beast Boy grinned. Jericho smiled and kept his hand on Ambrosia's shoulder. _This was why I loved being a Titan._  Herald blew his horn now to open the rift to Ireland, but this time it was aimed at the hill she called home instead of the village. She looked at Jericho with a touch of fear. He nodded to her sternly and led her through with the others following in suit.


	6. Chapter 6

The hill they were in front of was ancient and lush with tall grass. It was nearing dawn, and she had to open the hill now before they were locked out for the day. She sighed and stood up from the chair. Jericho stood next to her to let her use him to steady herself with. He gave her a charged moon crystal, and she focused on the hill. She invoked the words of power from the Fae Realms and tossed the moon crystal down at the hill's base. At first, nothing happened. Then the ground started to shake and rumble. Heavy, white marble columns started to appear, as the hill lifted straight up into the air, and the Titans stared with complete awe. Stale air escaped quickly as it lifted, and it held scents that made Ambrosia cringe. Now Jericho was deeply concerned, and he waited with her while the hill still rose up high towards the sky. When the hill was high enough for them all to walk into, Ambrosia sat back in the chair, and Jericho quickly moved under the hill.

"Titans! Go!" Robin commanded. They all filtered in, and Beast Boy was almost crushed when the sun forced the hill to crash back down on itself.

"That was close!" Beast Boy muttered. Ambrosia took out another charged moon crystal, whispered another soft word of power, and a light appeared near them. It seemed to shimmer before glowing brighter and brighter. Now it resembled a small, dancing flame, and it moved quickly to bring light to all of the empty torches around them. They found themselves standing in the archway of an old castle town. It was grand once, and full of life and activity. Now it seemed to echo like a cold tomb. Jericho ached with pain at what her memories helped him see.

What was once a beautiful cobblestone street of different colors, it was now pockmarked with holes and filthy with debris. Lamps that hung daintily in the resemblance of clear flowers were smashed and shattered all over the ground. The air used to be light and sweet smelling. It was filled with the decaying stench of spoiled food, rot, and death. Buildings that were once warm, lit up, and active were now cold, dark, and empty.  _The place was simply stripped of life._

"My home! I...I...!" Ambrosia gasped, as her mask slipped off from the racking sobs that hit her. Jericho was quick to gather her up to hug her to him and cradle her.  _They would find out who did this and bring that one to justice._ Robin hissed at what he was seeing. Even he knew that this town was full of life and joy at one point.  _The designs and structures proved it. A lot of Fae lived here happily at one time._   _Whoever did this held no respect for life._

"Ambrosia," Raven grimaced and knelt at her side. "Your library. Where is it?"

Jericho pointed to a tall tower in the center of the castle town, just off to the left. Ambrosia was too distraught to speak right now. Beast Boy walked up to her, and Jericho was trembling with her.

"Where was her family gathered? Where did the wedding take place? Where did all of this happen that made this place like this?" he asked. That made Jericho narrow his eyes with intense sorrow, and Ambrosia's sobs got even worse.  _But, they had to know. I have to place the crown on Aelfric's skull when we found it._  They didn't know, but he and Raven did.

"We'll gather up the dead and have a large ceremony for them," Cyborg said. Jericho stood up and held out his palm to signal for him to wait. "What is it?"

"Herald, I'll see you in the library," Raven said. "Jericho, let's find the wedding altar."

"What's going on?" Robin asked.

"You'll find out soon," Raven promised. "This is important. Before the dead are gathered, we must pay our respects to her family. They waited long enough for her to come back to them."

"Yes," Ambrosia gasped, sniffled and shivered. "They have waited...so long for me..."

Jericho nodded and scooped her up in his arms. Cyborg grumbled that she wasn't going to use the chair, but this was a form of respect.  _It was needed._  Beast Boy grabbed her bag and followed them, as Jericho carried her to the very center of the town. He looked over the streets that stretched out before them and took the left-most one. As other Titans moved to explore the city at their leisure, he was focused on three distinct goals.  _Get to the wedding chamber. Find Aelfric's skeleton. Make the duplicate crown the true crown._

They came up to a large building that was elaborate in design with tall spires, carved birds in the walls, and intricate Fae carvings with words of protection. All of the buildings held powerful moon crystals at one point. All of the moon crystals were either destroyed, cracked, missing in spots, or uncharged. If they were to help protect the town, the crystals would need to be replaced and charged up. Starfire was distraught at the sight of so many pretty crystals broken and missing. Ambrosia and Jericho would be able to reactivate the defenses when they were replaced and charged.

"I'll help work on these when we're ready," Cyborg said, as he pointed to the crystals. "Ambrosia, do you know if you have a treasury? More of these crystals?"

"They are all in my bag. When they were stolen and given back, I kept them all with me. After we pay my last respects...we'll do what we must..." she frowned.

"Try and keep a mental note on each crystal we'll need," Robin muttered to him.

"Sure," Cyborg nodded. As they walked into the empty chamber, Ambrosia stared at the decaying red carpeted floor of the wedding altar. She gave a painful cry at the sight of her mother and father's remains in heaps on the floor. Jericho forced himself to look away, but he glared at the empty spot where Aelfric's body should have been.  _Where was his skeleton?!_

"Let me search," Raven glowered. Her eyes turned white, and now she swathed the room in darkness. "Azarath! Metrion! Zinthos!"

Anything that was free to move in the room was lifted up by shadows. It was now that they saw the bones were scattered around, and all of them were quickly gathered. They were pieced together, and now Jericho shuddered with rage. _Aelfric's corpse was desecrated._   _It was torn up and tossed around the room with a form of sick glee._  Once the skeleton was reformed with telekinetic accuracy, the room was set back to rights, and Raven pulled her shadows back in. Beast Boy was gestured to, since he was needed to support Ambrosia for what needed to be done next.

"Aelfric..." Ambrosia whimpered. Jericho nodded to Raven, and he took out the duplicate crown.

"What are you doing?" Robin frowned.

"Making our ace in the battle ahead," Raven grinned. "I figured out what he needed to do."

"Oh?" Robin asked. Starfire was hovering with them and watched curiously with Beast Boy. Jericho placed the duplicate crown on Aelfric's skull, and it glowed with new life. As Aelfric promised, he accepted the crown as his true one, and this crown would wait for the power transfer from the corrupted crown. Now he needed to ensure that the wedding ceremony would be completed later in the night with the rise of the full moon. He would not be at any peace until this was done, and he was going to remain at their side to be reborn as Jericho's son.

"You mean...?" Robin gaped. The crown glowed stronger with life, and the little images appeared alive. The moon crystals winked softly in response, and Jericho smiled with a nod of respect.

"Quiet. We don't want to spoil anything..." Raven muttered, as the crown was removed quickly, and Jericho stored it away. Ambrosia was shivering with a form of new understanding.  _They didn't need the crown that Sinlus had now!_

"How...was this...?" Ambrosia had to ask. Jericho shook his head, but the look in his eyes promised that all would be revealed when the time was right. She nodded and would need to make sure that she had her mother's crown on her instead of the duplicate one. Beast Boy didn't get the feeling that they were being watched at all. _Apparently, Sinlus didn't care about the respectful rights of the dead._  Luck was on their side.

"Now we can pay our last respects to the dead to help them move on," Raven sighed.

"Mother...Father...Aelfric...my kin...my friends..." Ambrosia whimpered, as Jericho held her again. "I'm sorry...I couldn't stop this...that it happened...I..."

"It's not your fault," Robin frowned. "It was never your fault. Come on. We have a lot of work to do. Let's clean this place up quickly and set our next course of action."

"Okay," she nodded. Cyborg and Pantha moved four large, dead trees to the center of the town to create a pyre. Bodies were carefully gathered with a form of respect and set on the old logs. When the bodies of children and animals were added, a silent rage filled them all. Hot Spot set the whole thing ablaze when everything was ready. Ambrosia watched with a form of pain and relief, as her Fae clan was finally honored in death. Jericho watched it all burn, and it took an hour for everything to finally die out. A sense of peace and calm filtered in the air now.  _The dead were appeased and moving on, save for the ones that wished to help witness the new union of a King and Queen._

"Next course of action. The crystals. We need to replace them in the buildings, and we need to make sure they are all charged!" Robin said. Jericho nodded sternly, and Beast Boy was there to help Ambrosia sit back in her hovering chair. Her bag was grabbed, and the chest of moon crystals was brought out. Any loose crystal was now found, and even her wedding dress was retrieved.

"When must you be ready for your marriage?" Starfire asked.

"Soon," Ambrosia sighed. "And...while I'm getting ready...no men may gaze at me."

"Always the bridesmaid..." Raven chuckled. "I said I would help Herald in the library, but you need my help a bit more. Starfire? You going to help?"

"Of course, I am!" she beamed. Robin sighed with a small grin on his face.

"You will both need clothes custom to Fae maids," Ambrosia sighed. "Luckily, I have some that may fit you both. Ah...Jericho, dear?"

He winked at her, and she smiled in knowing. _He would be able to get his own clothes ready._

"Can I help you?" Jinx asked, as she walked over.

"Of course, you can," Ambrosia nodded. "Jericho...I will see you later tonight."

He moved to her side and kissed her honeyed mouth passionately. He was worried for her, but she had exceptionally strong allies now. He showed that he had the crowns. _They would be safe with him._  She nodded and was led away to the bridal chambers.

"Jericho," Beast Boy sighed. "if you need to possess me, go for it. I'm giving you permission. Only if you need to use my voice to talk with! Okay?"

Jericho grinned and nodded. Right now, he needed to make his clothes, and he started to go through what was already in the bag. Robin was being handed any other moon crystals that were found. Jericho looked up, as Herald made his way to them.

"I have a problem," he said.

"What's the problem?" Robin frowned.

"I can use my horn to look out through the rifts and to charge up the crystals. However, I can't leave through them. I'm being blocked," he growled. Jericho blinked and thought. Now he nodded and looked at Beast Boy. The possession was quick, and now Jericho grumbled.

"It's the way Fae magic works during daylight hours," he said. "Once in a Fae domain, you can't travel out until it becomes nightfall. The magic here forbids it. It's part of the law. Once Ambrosia activated it, we have to abide by it. Nothing gets in or out during the day. If the kingdom was built above ground, then it would be fine. However, this form of magic is based on the moon. It's night magic."

"Hmm," Robin frowned in thought. "So, if we need reinforcements..."

"We have to wait until sunset," Jericho said.

"That's lame!" Beast Boy growled.

"Tell me about it," Jericho agreed. "But, that's the only way. Anyone can come here at night, even if it's daylight where they are. You can travel from here to anywhere at night and back. If it's daylight here, you simply can't get here or out of here. The Unseelie Court is at the same disadvantage. They know we are here. They're pissed. Unless it's just Sinlus I'm feeling. I can kinda feel it, thanks to your senses, Beast Boy. So, in that sense, Sinlus also knows we're here, and he's trying to figure out what we're up to. Ambrosia is in no danger right now. But...the moment it becomes sunset..."

"Right! We have to double our pace, Titans!" Robin said sternly. "Any crystals that we have to replace needs to be done now and charged up in full! We need to set up our defenses and strategies while we still can before the wedding happens!"

"Dude, you should totally have a cape," Beast Boy grinned, as he looked over the clothes.

"You think so?" Jericho asked, as he still remained in his body.

"Totally! Oh. You can leave my body now."

"Nope."

"Why not?!"

"I can't see Ambrosia. You aren't going to see her, either! It's a law!"

"Dude!"

"Nope. Not gonna happen. I'm staying in your sorry head until the wedding!"

"This is not fair!" Beast Boy muttered. Jericho simply laughed, as he started to piece his outfit together. In the bridal chamber, Raven was glowering with distaste at the maid outfit she was given.

"It has to be pink?" she frowned at the puffy, long gown. It was covered in ruffles from head to toe and would have made a very flattering look on any girl or woman that wore it.

"I am sorry, Raven. All maid outfits are pink," Ambrosia sighed.

"It is beautiful!" Starfire giggled, as she paraded around in the puffy dress.

"Can you make an exception for us?" Jinx begged. "I mean, I like pink, don't get me wrong. It's just...it's so...light! It's pastel! I hate pastel colors!"

"Hmm. I think I have black wizardry robes from my older sisters," Ambrosia thought.

"Where?!" Raven and Jinx both said together. Jinx winked at Raven, and a glare of warning was given back. Ambrosia giggled softly and gestured to the closet.

"Jinx, whatever you do, don't use your powers here," Raven whispered to her. "Wait until the fight. Trust me on this. Things watch us everywhere here. The less they know, the better."

"Okay," Jinx nodded. "I don't want to waste my strength, anyways."

"Good," Raven nodded back.  _The less Sinlus knew of what we can do, the higher the advantage we will have._  "So...what does this guy look like? The bad one?"

"Um..." Ambrosia thought, as she set out the wedding gown. "Think of a tall, male version of you. Very pale skin, but with pointed ears. He has very long, darker purple hair, almost black, and he wears something that looks like metal. Black metal, I think. With spikes all over the joint pieces. His hair is so long that it's cloak-like. He also has a very soothing voice. Far too soothing for him."

"Weird..." Raven frowned.

"Does he have a gem in his head?" Jinx asked.

"No. Nothing of that sort," Ambrosia said. Raven glanced at an opened window and moved to shut the curtains around it. Other windows were now closed, and bath water was prepared. Starfire helped Ambrosia stand, and now she was undressed and set in the bath. Her hair was uncoiled, soaked thoroughly, and scrubbed clean.

"Found the robes!" Jinx grinned and tossed one to Raven. The black robes were large and easily fit over everything they wore. They were perfect.

"What fabric is this?" Raven asked, as she noticed the threads were multi-colored up close. When the threads were merged together, it made the black coloring.

"Ah," Ambrosia mused, as she thought. "Spider silk, plant veins, and slug slime to glue them together. Yes, it's odd, but that's how most clothing is made. Since they are wizardry robes of a sort, they were made by Dwarves long ago. They are hard to come by."

"Slug slime?" Jinx gaped at her.

"I understand the spider silk and plant matter. But...yeah...I agree with Jinx," Raven blinked.

"And what is my dress made of?" Starfire asked.

"That is actually the clouds harvested at sunrise and sunset. The material is made by them becoming fog and fusing to spider silk. So, the color is fully natural," Ambrosia beamed.

"How precious! Um...may I keep this dress?" she smiled.

"You may keep it. And you both may keep those robes, too," Ambrosia nodded.

"Groovy!" Jinx grinned. Raven would be experimenting in them later. She actually felt a boost in her power, as she wore the robe.  _It's almost as though it was meant for me._  Ambrosia was helped to stand out of the tub and now dried thoroughly. The wedding gown was placed on her, and she leaned on the chair for support. It still hurt to stand. Raven had her sit down, and her hair was worked on. Several hours had quickly gone by before any of them could figure out what time it was. A knock on the door was heard, and Jinx answered it to find Pantha standing there.

"Jericho said that these were needed," Pantha said, as she handed over the family heirloom jewels.

"He spoke?" Ambrosia paused in wonder.

"He possessed Beast Boy," the strong woman grinned. "You look nice."

"Thank you," she smiled.

"I hope he doesn't go stupid. Beast Boy has a tendency to make others lose intellect around him," Raven smirked. Pantha barked out laughter, as she walked off, and Jinx shut the door. Raven made sure the crystals were scrubbed clean, and she placed them on Ambrosia properly. Jinx did her makeup, and Starfire was beaming with joy at her. Ambrosia was starting to get hungry, but she didn't say anything. There was nothing for them to eat, and she didn't want to draw attention to the problem. It would be remedied after she got married. Another knock was at the door, and Bumblebee was let in.

"Wow! You look incredible!" she said.

"Um...thank you..." Ambrosia smiled.

"What's going on?" Raven asked.

"All of the crystals have been replaced and charged up. There was just enough in that bag to work with. Jericho still has Beast Boy in possession, since Beast Boy keeps threatening to see you. He has his clothes picked out, and the wedding altar is being cleaned up. It's not long for dusk, so everyone is on edge. They're ready for a fight. Are you ready to go?" Bumblebee asked. "The moment the moon comes up, the wedding is going to start."

"I have been waiting for this moment for over a thousand years," Ambrosia shivered. "I have always been ready. I am now more ready than ever."

"How are we supposed to escort you out there?" Raven asked.

"Well, you and Jinx can walk in front of me. Starfire can walk behind me, as she is in traditional maid clothing. That will work," Ambrosia said. "She may need to help me move, too."

"Pink?" Bumblebee grinned at Starfire's dress.

"It is a wonderful dress! And mine to keep!" Starfire beamed.

"You can have it," Bumblebee giggled. "I'll tell the others you're ready."

"When the wedding altar is ready, there is a chime bell along the wall. Ring it three times, and I will know to come out. Jericho knows where everyone must stand," Ambrosia said. At Bumblebee's nod, she left, and Ambrosia shivered with excitement. _Soon I will be married to Jericho, and my curse will finally be lifted in full. I will be safe and well protected with new friends and allies._

"I think you'll like being a Titan," Jinx smiled.

"I know that my future children will become Titans, too," Ambrosia blushed softly.

"More powerful kids to help defend the Earth. Why not?" Raven shrugged.

"Hmm," Starfire thought. "I should try heavy petting with Robin."

"Good luck!" Jinx grinned, as Raven started to snicker. Ambrosia blushed incredibly hard now, and that got Raven laughing. The sudden feel of the mountain rising on top of the old city was apparent with soft rumblings.  _Sunset had finally happened._ Time went by so fast with all of the wedding preparations that no one realized it. Ambrosia was clearly nervous. It was getting close to the peak of her curse.  _Everything had to go right._  Then she went quiet and heard the sound of a chime. She gasped, and it rang a second time. Then a third. The wedding was ready for her to appear. The moon was nearing its skyward peak at long last.

"Here we go," Raven smiled. Jinx stood in front of Ambrosia to her left, and Raven stood on the right. Starfire moved Ambrosia out of the chair and hovered behind her to keep her feet off the ground to simulate walking. They moved through the door and down the hall quickly. They didn't know when Sinlus was going to strike, and they didn't want to wait to find out. In the restored wedding chamber, Ambrosia took in the sights with acute recollection. _Everything was restored back to how it was._

Her eyes trailed up to the altar, and she saw Jericho standing there. He had managed to straighten his hair to fall down past his shoulders in traditional Fae style. He was wearing pretty much the same clothing, but it was made of charged moon crystals like her wedding dress. A gold cape-like cloak was added to what he wore, and it draped around his form to flow out gently at his feet. He had a princely, noble air around him now. It was noticed by everyone.

Robin stood on the side her father stood at originally to show his approval as a fellow leader, and Beast Boy stood by Jericho to show that he was a true friend. Everyone else was standing to bear witness to the marriage in the side-lines. Raven and Jinx moved to stand with Robin when Jericho gestured to them on where to go. Starfire guided Ambrosia up to the altar, and Jericho produced his new crown and her mother's crown. The duplicate crown was still stored on him as a back-up.

All eyes were on her. She was purely the blushing bride now in her moon crystal gown of bluish-white and silver. It molded to her form like a second skin and flared out behind her as though she was walking on a trail of silvery-blue water. He was every bit the dashing, handsome groom. Starfire needed to keep supporting Ambrosia to keep her standing. As the moon neared its peak, her dress glowed from the open skylight window, and his clothes started to do the same. Soft gasps of delight and awe were heard when it started. Even Robin was slightly stunned at how beautiful she looked in the glowing dress. Raven suddenly hissed, and she looked at the main floor. Then she was a touch surprised that it was her robe that alerted her to something. She would have to figure it out later. All that she knew was that someone was approaching fast and with a vengeance.

"Easy, Titans!" Robin growled. Beast Boy curled back his lip. Starfire had to keep supporting Ambrosia. Cyborg powered up his guns in case he had to start shooting.  _Sinlus was going to try and crash the wedding._ Just as the moon was reaching its full peak in the sky, Sinlus appeared before them. He was tall, reeked of something that was akin to the feel of a vile snake, and appeared livid. When he looked at Jericho, he had to do a second glance. He thought Aelfric came back to life at first, but he remembered that it was another.

"You are standing in my spot, Son of Adam!" Sinlus growled. "Step down!"

Jericho shook his head, as his clothes now glowed at full strength from the light of the moon. Ambrosia's dress was now letting off soft sparkles. All of it was beautiful and mystical.

"You are out of your place!" Robin hissed.

"You know nothing!" Sinlus argued in his silken voice. "Besides, I have the crown you need! He cannot become a King of the Fae! That is destined for me and me alone!"

"So you think..." Raven smirked. He stopped at the sight of the robes and easily mistook her for a High Warlock. The robe gave off the illusion of a protective shadow that seemed to glare into the eyes of the enemy. That was what the robe was meant for, and it accepted her from the power boost she was feeling. If a High Warlock was present, then he was in trouble. Now he looked at the crown that Jericho held and noticed that it was glowing with life.  _What was this?!_ He pulled out the crown he had, and now he noticed that it seemed ancient and old. _It was nothing like it was earlier._  It was soon dead in his hands, and it cracked in half when the other glowed even more with the light of life. The power transfer to the duplicate crown was done and included all it held within it. The crown in Sinlus's hands shattered to pieces and disintegrated in full when all the power was drained.

"STOP!" Sinlus shrieked, as he launched himself at the altar. He saw the true Queen's crown revealed and was in a complete state of panic.  _How could I have missed this?!_

"I don't think so," Jinx chuckled and snapped her fingers. A wave of purple power hit under Sinlus's feet, and the presence of bad luck forced him to trip and fall into the floor. As a maid of the princess, she had full authority to protect Ambrosia. "Oops?"

"What...power is...?!" Sinlus gasped. Now he stared in helpless shock, as Ambrosia took her mother's crown and touched it to the one that Jericho held. A sharp flash of bluish-white light flared out from the crowns and seeped into them both. The Joining was complete at long last. What made Ambrosia curious was that the crowns had a lingering bluish effect as though souls had touched.  _What did this mean?_  It would have to be thought about later. Jericho took her crown to place it on her head, and she did the same to him. Both crowns seemed to tighten securely on their heads. They could not be removed unless they died or were ready to be removed of their own accord.

Jericho blinked when memories filtered through his mind of Aelfric's life. He closed his eyes, as the memories of Aelfric's father filtered into him right after. The crown had stored the memories of those that were torn from it. Even though the other crown was originally worn, and the one he had was a duplicate, Aelfric had shown that the duplicate was the true crown. The original crown was tainted and could not be trusted, as he had warned in his dream to Jericho. All of the power the old crown had was gathered by Aelfric's ghost and transferred to the new crown. Since Aelfric was a powerful Fae Mage in his life, his spirit held what was left of his power in death. It was just as he told Jericho in the dream.  _He was waiting for the right time to do this._ This was also why Fae Mages were so deadly and respected. Even in death, they could fight for a small time, if the right circumstances presented themselves. All of the original power was gathered and given to the duplicate crown. This included the memories the crown held within it. Jericho now knew what he had to do and how he could avenge the ones who were wronged. He also knew how to lead others as a true King would.

Thanks to the older memories of Aelfric's father, he had two centuries of ruling experience and an additional three hundred years of his memories when he wasn't a King, but he would need to prove himself by putting them to good use.  _That would be easy to do._  He thought of why the original crown didn't die like the other did, and he realized that it was because this crown was truly special. _It knew that Aelfric was a true heir for it and survived his father's death blow. The original crown was too weak with two deaths, and that was how it got corrupted so quickly. It had no strength to continue, but it was different from the other crowns. This crown actually held a soul of its own and also had a form of consciousness._  As Jericho was told in his dream with Aelfric, the crown was truly alive and able to think for itself as what it needed and wanted.  _The soul of the crown was fully transferred to the duplicate to give the crown a second chance at life. Much like Aelfric being reborn as my son._

He looked at Ambrosia now with a sense of solid joy.  _She was wed to me at long last. Sinlus could not reverse what was done._ Jericho hugged her tight to him and now glared at Sinlus. Starfire backed away now that Jericho was supporting Ambrosia, and she stood by Robin with a smile. Jericho looked at his new wife. She seemed to blink at a thought, and she gave a soft blush. Then she touched his throat with her crown's gift of healing, and he coughed. Her crown did flare a soft blue to show the slight healing was successful. His vocal cords would start to grow back now, but it would likely take another two years of sparse healing touches for his full, deeper voice to appear. It would end up being the same voice he had in his dream with Aelfric's ghost. It was possible that she could heal his voice faster, but it would require far too much of her power, and he didn't want her to use it all up at once. Right now, loud whispers were all he could do, but they were more than enough.

"My wife. My Queen," Jericho smiled and chuckled at the gasps of surprise that he was able to talk for himself now. "I love you with everything I have."

"My husband. My King," Ambrosia trembled with joy, as he hugged her. "I love you, too."

"Now," he whispered and glared at Sinlus. "I need to cast Judgment upon you, as the will of Fae law grants me! However, you need a true Court decision on my Judgment."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sinlus paled.

"Time has made you weak!" Jericho snarled out in his hissing whisper. "You could have easily thwarted everything we did, but, instead, you were so lazy and arrogant that you watched and took your time. You didn't even try to use your most powerful magic here when you had the chance! Now you are too late. The box. The very one that tortured and cursed my wife for so long. Where is it? I demand for you to tell me at once!"

"As if I would tell you!" Sinlus snarled back.

"Then, with the Will of Judgment, I shall go into your mind and find out for myself!" Jericho growled. Robin was completely impressed at how quickly Jericho had grown into his role as a King. "With the Will of Judgment, I will be spared all of your vile thoughts! I will only see what I need to know and that will be all! Any other memories gleaned will not affect me, but will not be mentioned at this time! Robin, please support Ambrosia. She used her gift of healing for my voice. It's still hard for her to stand. Beast Boy, please protect her."

Robin grinned with a small nod and let Ambrosia lean against him. At the feel of her slender form against his, it mildly stunned him a bit, but he was quick to refocus. Beast Boy changed into a dragon to glare at Sinlus. That shocked the half Fae. At his look of surprise, Jericho launched himself at the creature and possession quickly followed.

"Be careful in there!" Robin warned, as he hugged Ambrosia closer to keep her standing. There was a small part of him that was enjoying the feel of her so close, but he had to squash it.  _She isn't mine, and she is married now._

"I'm fine," Jericho said with Sinlus's voice. Now that the eyes were black with green pupils, the information he needed was taken. The box was brought out, and he looked at Cyborg. "Target practice. Ready? Set? Go!"

Cyborg blasted the box to pieces when it was tossed in the air. It had no chance now that Ambrosia's soul could not nourish it. There was something else that was released, too, but it was unnoticed. It could prove to be a problem later.

"Now, what happened on her birthday in the past?" Raven asked.

"It was as I suspected," Jericho frowned. "He trapped her in the box and used her as a bargaining tool. He threatened that he would destroy the box with her in it, if he was met with resistance. He slaughtered everyone himself. He destroyed everything in this castle overnight."

"The monster!" Ambrosia cringed. Robin found himself giving her a mild squeeze of comfort. Beast Boy rubbed against her legs and glared at Sinlus's form. He wouldn't attack while Jericho was possessing him, but he sensed that Ambrosia needed him close for comfort.

"I have to know," Robin said. "How did you know about the duplicate crown?"

"Aelfric came to me in a dream earlier today. He told me what was going on. How Sinlus was watching everything and everyone. Raven figured out what I needed to do when I needed moon crystals charged up. She distracted Cyborg so I could swap out the sun crystals," Jericho grinned.

"So, that's why you bugged me?!" Cyborg growled.

"Sorry," Raven smirked. "It had to be done."

"It did. And...Ambrosia? Aelfric is going to be reborn as our firstborn son. He won't have any memories of his past life, but he will regain the powers he had as a Fae Mage. He is honored to call me his father," Jericho said with pride. Ambrosia gasped, and Robin was gaping with the others.

"That is nice, but," Starfire frowned, as she regained her thoughts. "What of this one? What is his fate? He has done so much wrong! What will happen to him?"

"He slaughtered so many innocents. He killed Aelfric's father and Aelfric, too," Jericho growled. "He desecrated and murdered  _two_  royal families of the Fae! He tormented and harmed my wife for over a thousand years! Death is my Judgment! However, it must be witnessed by the Unseelie Court. He is a member of theirs, and they have to severe his powers and cast their own Judgment, too. I will have to call them to bear witness to what I have Judged, and they must see for themselves of his treachery. All of you _must_ remain quiet and make no movements! I cannot stress this enough! I don't want any of you to draw attention to yourselves, or things could go wrong."

The Titans murmured their agreement, and Jericho separated from Sinlus's body. He moved back up to Ambrosia to hug her to him, and he focused on a spot of air along the ceiling. The Will of Judgment was called on, and the link to the Unseelie Court was made. The moment the gaze of thousands of eyes was felt, Robin was in shock. He knew the Brotherhood of Evil was powerful. He had fought countless villains and archenemies of all types and races. But, the Unseelie Court made all of them look like gnats in a breeze.  _The Unseelie Court was simply...completely...evil._ There was no end to the feeling of crushing hatred and loathing that he felt. This was an evil of an ancient degree, far more ancient than anything he knew of, and he would be stupid to challenge them.  _This was an enemy that could simply pick at them and play cat and mouse for days. Their torment could even stretch past whole lifetimes._  Raven was even in a state of nervousness, and it was hard to make her nervous.

The Unseelie Court was made of countless of thousands of evil souls and spirits. When they spoke, it was in rhyme that was of one body, but multiple voices.

_"Why are we called?"_

_"Tis Judgment? That's all?"_

"Yes! Judgment of Sinlus, and he has been found Guilty of all accounts! His punishment is Death! You are here to bear witness!" Jericho said in his regal whispery tone. "I am now a new King of the Fae! My name is Jericho! I have gleaned information within the mind of this one, and I have learned of his treachery that has spread even through your Court!"

_"Your voice is so weak!"_

_"Tis cute, but so meek!"_

_"Maybe it will get stronger?"_

_"Hurry up! Keep us no longer!"_

"He has spread tales and rumors that none of you exist! He has made a mockery of your Court!" Jericho said sternly. "He has also been using your Court for his own personal gains!"

"He lies!" Sinlus begged. Now the Unseelie Court noticed this and peered into the mind of their Court member with a crushing force. They smashed down the mental barriers he made with a mere thought of their own as one. He was trusted for his silver tongue, and now the deceit was revealed. They did not respond well to the treachery that was proven.

" _Let us agree..."_

_"That Sinlus of Zee..."_

_"Has all his cords snapped!"_

_"His power is tapped!"_

_"He is now so weak!"_

_"No longer at peak!"_

_"We honor our vow!"_

_"Let Sinlus die NOW!"_

"NO!" their former Court member screamed, as his form weakened. The black armor he wore turned brittle and came away like paper. He was now in the form of an old, weakened man. Jericho watched with content, as a final deathblow of lightning came down from the core of the Unseelie Court to rip his soul from his body to seal it away and char the body to ashes.  _It was done. Sinlus was dead._ Once the Unseelie Court was appeased, the link to them was severed and their gaze of evil was gone. The battle was over and won.

"That Unseelie Court..." Robin finally said when he could breathe again.

"Pure evil," Ambrosia frowned. "Now you see why you were all cautioned to be silent."

"There is a problem, though," Jericho admitted.

"What problem?" Raven frowned.

"The Unseelie Court knows the Titans exist now. They may...test us later on down the road. To see how strong we are. Mainly out of boredom, but...well..." Jericho sighed.

"We'll be ready for them," Robin nodded.

"Oh, Ambrosia," Jericho said. "before I forget..."

"Yes?" she asked.

"Happy birthday," he smiled and kissed her passionately. That made whistles, cheers, and blushes happen all around. Robin gaped at first and then shook his head, as he remembered they were married now. Starfire hovered and clapped her hands with delight.

"We need to make a party!" Beast Boy gasped. "With cake and ice cream and movies and...!"

"I can take us all back to the Tower now," Herald grinned.

"I'm only eleven hundred and seventeen years old," Ambrosia blushed.

"Not a day older to me," Jericho smiled. She hugged him tight and more giggles were given all around. "We need your crown to charge again. Shall we step outside?"

"I think we can," she nodded. He carried her now, and the Titans slowly filtered out.

"Oh, Robin," Jericho said.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"You should go make out with Starfire already," he teased.

"I don't...know about that..." Robin blushed. "We kissed before...but..."

"If you wait too long, you may never get the chance again," Jericho said with a slight smile. Ambrosia sighed and reflected an old pain of remembrance.

"What do you mean?" Robin frowned now.

"Aelfric never once kissed me in the past," she said softly. "The most he did was my cheek or my hand. He was trying to be honor-bound to the wedding day...and I appreciated what he did...but, in the end, he died before I could receive my first kiss from him. What Jericho means is that you never know what will happen. Sometimes, you just need to seize the moment."

"I see," Robin thought. Starfire was busy gossiping with a few other Titans now and seemed blissfully unaware of anything. "Maybe you're right. I'll have to think about it."

"Take your time," Jericho grinned. When Robin walked off, he looked at Ambrosia and asked, "My wife, what do you want to do now?"

"I honestly don't know," she admitted. "Just two days ago, I was sitting on a stump. Now I'm married and free of something that I never thought I would be free of. I'm not sure what I want to do."

"Want to make an heir?" he whispered softly in her ear. She gasped with a blush and gazed at him with a bit of surprise. He kissed her honeyed mouth hungrily, and she pressed her forehead to his.

"Maybe...when everyone falls asleep?" she whispered back, and he kissed her deeply.

"I have a better idea," he smiled. The scent of honey was too strong to resist right now. It was taking everything that he had to remain calm and collected around the others.

"What?" she asked. He rose up with her and carried her away while the others were talking of what they were going to do next. It was Jinx who noticed they were gone ten minutes later.

"Where are the newlyweds?!" Jinx asked.

"Ah...no idea!" Beast Boy frowned. Kid Flash darted around with Mas y Menos. When they got back, the three of them were blushing incredibly hard.

"Don't go in the bushes over there!" Kid Flash pointed behind a building. The twin brothers were simply too embarrassed to talk. Jericho was seen shortly after carrying his wife back to them.

"Where did you go? And what did you do?" Cyborg asked.

"Do you really have to ask that?" Jericho smirked in his whispery voice. "I just married her. I had to help make Aelfric become my heir. What do you think we just did?"

"Ah...oh...wow..." Cyborg blinked and turned red. Robin gaped and ran a hand over his face.

"They started their honeymoon early," Kid Flash grinned.

"I'll need a week off," Jericho smirked at Hot Spot. "Maybe two?"

"Granted!" he grinned. Beast Boy was laughing now, and he paused at the pat that Ambrosia gave to the top of his head. He smiled at her and nodded. Then he blinked.

"I heard you?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Yes. You did," Ambrosia smiled. "I told you I can communicate with animals."

"But, I'm a human now!" he said with confusion.

"Just accept it," Jericho sighed. Beast Boy scowled and Ambrosia giggled.

"Want to head back to the Tower?" Herald asked them, as he walked over.

"You guys can go ahead," Ambrosia smiled. "I...have some memories I need to catch up on."

"New ones to create," Jericho muttered in her ear to make her blush softly.

"Will you both be okay here?" Cyborg frowned.

"I can conjure food and water for us with the charged crystals. We will be fine," she nodded.

"Just check on us in a week," Jericho grinned. "We might be ready to come back by then."

"If you say so," Beast Boy frowned. Ambrosia looked at her husband, and he thought. He tossed a glowing red crystal to Beast Boy. "What's this for?"

"Think of it as a way to come see us," Jericho chuckled. "It will only work when it's night here, so just keep that in mind. Daytime for you is nighttime for us. So, if you want to visit, it would be during the day for you. There's lots of places here that are unexplored. Any charged moon crystal can bring you guys here. Just don't disturb us too much, eh?"

"Really? Should we start looking now?" Kid Flash grinned.

"Ah..." Jericho said with a whispery sigh. "I just got married. I need alone time. With my new wife. Come back in two nights from now. Okay?"

"Oh, fine," Kid Flash sighed.

"But, we'll get to explore, right?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yes. We will," Jericho promised. Ambrosia smiled with a nod. Now the newlyweds were congratulated and hugged by various Titans as they left through Herald's rift.

"Let me know when you start to explore the place," Robin grinned.

"I have your communicator," Jericho nodded.

"And, eh...let me know if you hear anything about the Unseelie Court," he said with concern.

"First priority. You have my word," Jericho nodded again. When Herald left, Ambrosia sighed and looked at her husband with worry. At this, he frowned and hugged her, as he asked, "What's wrong, darling? What's troubling you?"

"I just...can't believe how fast everything happened..." she admitted. "I can't believe that everything is over. That everything is going to be okay now."

"Ah..."

"Also," she sighed. "I'm already pregnant."

"What?!" he blinked.

"The baby isn't fully growing yet, but I just...I feel that it happened," she blushed. "That...that in the next three days, you will know for sure..."

"Are you...serious...?!" he asked again, as he looked into her eyes. At her small nod, he hugged her tightly to him and called Robin's communicator.

"Hey! Something wrong?!" he asked. "I just left you guys!"

"Not really anything wrong, I just wanted to share some good news with you," Jericho grinned. "The next time you come here, bring back gifts for a baby."

"WHAT?!" Robin freaked.

"You heard me! My wife is now pregnant! See you later!" Jericho grinned even more and closed the connection. Ambrosia was giggling, as he tickled her and kissed her hard. "Shall we figure out which bedroom will be ours? I know we can't stay here forever..."

"On occasion, we should be able to. But...it would be nice to see if other Fae are out there. This was once a grand capitol in Fae society. Even Aelfric's castle home was well-known. Now I have to wonder how his castle is. I...hope Sinlus didn't destroy that one, too!"

"We'll find out in time, darling," he whispered and sighed. ""Right now, we need to focus on us. We just got married! Us! Married! The next two days...let's keep worry free."

"Do you think we can?"

"If we focus on other things, I'm sure we can," he grinned wickedly. He growled at a nibble she did to his neck. "I wonder how many rooms your castle has."

"Our castle, dearest," she smiled, as he swept her up into his arms. He moved to the chair and put it on an auto-follow mode. He looked at her with a grin.

"Yes. Our castle," he smiled, kissed her deeply, and carried her into their castle home.


	7. Chapter 7

 "Call Jericho!" Beast Boy growled at Robin. "It's been a whole day!"

"No," he said, as he went over the city layout. "He said to wait two days."

"Please?! It's daylight in Ireland right now, and my crystal won't work! I know he said two days, but it's just so dull around here! I just want to know how he is with Ambrosia! Things were more fun around here with them around," he muttered.

"They are married and enjoying their time off. That and...apparently...he already got Ambrosia pregnant," Robin sighed. "So, no. Leave them alone."

"He got her pregnant?! Already?!" Beast Boy gaped. "How?!"

"Well," Raven said, as she walked in. "didn't he say that Aelfric wanted to be his heir? Reborn? That's probably why. I'm happy for them. And...don't you know how the facts of life work?"

"Eh...yes...I know that part..." Beast Boy blushed and sulked.

"I'm just concerned about that Unseelie Court," Robin admitted. "Anything about it?"

"Not really. Just a bunch of old legends about it. Different spirits and various creatures seem to make up the Court, itself, but it isn't proven. I've been trying to track down the source, but it's all legends and speculations. It's hard trying to track down an old fairy tale's origin," she frowned.

"Silkie misses Ambrosia!" Starfire sighed. "He has been down a lot lately."

"Tell me about it!" Cyborg said, as he brought the caterpillar back up from the basement of the Tower. "He's been chewing through the floor! All of the floors!"

"Okay, I'll call Jericho!" Robin sighed, as he gave in. Starfire and Beast Boy gasped with joy at this, and Robin muttered to himself, "I really hope it's a good time to contact them!"

"I bet you ten bucks, he'll start blushing," Cyborg muttered to Raven.

"I'll accept it, but counter that there will also be giggling in the background," she smirked.

"You're on," he nodded. Robin flipped open the communicator and contacted Jericho. In Ireland under the hill, Ambrosia and her husband were sleeping quite contentedly after a round of chasing each other. Ambrosia was able to start healing her legs to a point that she could move for short bursts at a time. Her hair was undone and was coiled about them both like a soft cocoon of rich silk that was scented with honey and roses. At the sound of the communicator, he snapped awake and groaned. The heavy, spider silk blankets covered them neatly, and he stretched. She snuggled into his side, and he started to fall back to sleep with a lull of peaceful thoughts. He winced again at the sharp sound of the communicator going off. He was clearly irritated now.  _I told them to wait two days! At least that!_ It went off again, and he scowled with disbelief.  _It just wasn't fair!_

"Better answer it, dear," she giggled. He kissed her softly and sat up to reach for it. They made their permanent room in her parents' original room. She knew that they would have wanted it to happen. There was no other place that would have suited their royal status. From the rich, carpeted floors of deep brown, to the golden hues of the walls, it was a clear show of wealth. Heavy, gold drapes were drawn over all of the windows, and a thin sheet of silver lace hid their forms in the canopy bed. The lights were made of spun crystal and gold. The furnishings were made of the strongest polished white marble and granite with flecks of gold in them. There were even various rugs made of soft, cotton-like silk on the ground. Small tables were on each side of them and were set with food and drink. They had both managed to use what magic they could to restore much of the castle and town to its former glory thanks to the recharged and replaced moon crystals.

He stretched again and shook his head. Their crowns had stayed snugly on their heads through bathing, running around, sleeping, and eating. They didn't even notice they were wearing them half the time. It was how they were designed to be. When Jericho's hair went back to the way it was originally, his crown naturally adjusted so that it would go with the hairstyle.

"Hello?" Jericho asked with his whispery voice, as he opened the communicator.

"Hey, Jericho!" Robin grinned with a small wave. "How is everything?"

"Not bad, Robin," he sighed. "Um...is there a problem?"

"Not really," Robin admitted.

"Let me talk to him! Me! Me!" Beast Boy said.

"Silkie wants to speak!" Starfire pouted, as she held the caterpillar.

"Eh...guys..." Robin groaned.

"It's okay, Robin. I'm not really dressed, though," Jericho chuckled. "And neither is Ambrosia for that matter...um..."

"Were we interrupting something?" Robin now asked with a blush.

"Cough up the dough!" Cyborg grinned.

"Wait for it..." Raven grinned back.

"No. We just finished, actually. Um...Ambrosia...what are you...wow..." Jericho blinked. "I gotta go, Robin. Something just came up."

"Oh? Like what?" Robin asked. At Ambrosia's giggling laughter, he blushed even harder.

"How did you get in  _that_  position?!" Jericho gaped at her with wide, green eyes and away from the communicator. "Yeah. I gotta go. Now. Um...call me back in ten minutes!"

"Okay..." Robin grimaced, as the communicator line went dead after a hard, tinkling laugh was heard from Ambrosia when she got tackled with a vengeance. Raven looked at Cyborg, and he was muttering at the money he lost.

"What just happened?!" Beast Boy asked.

"We called at the wrong time!" Robin said with a glare at him.

"I think every time will be a wrong time," Raven chuckled and took the ten dollars from Cyborg.

"Wanna bet?" Cyborg grinned now.

"Sure," Raven smirked. As Starfire and Beast Boy shrugged at each other, Jericho was gasping under his bed covers with Ambrosia back in Ireland.

"You don't play fair," he growled at her, and she giggled as they rested.

"Someone needs to keep you on your toes, hmm?" she smiled. The communicator went off again after ten minutes, and he sighed. Now he was a touch sweaty when he answered it to see Robin again.

"I'm not gonna ask what happened. I can only guess," Robin muttered.

"You guessed right," Jericho said smugly. "So, what's up?"

"Beast Boy misses you and Ambrosia. Apparently, Silkie is chewing up everything around here, because he's worried about Ambrosia. Since it's daylight over there, Beast Boy can't visit. He begged me to call you. Can you chance them coming over to see you?" Robin asked.

"If it's daylight, they'll have to wait until nightfall," Jericho frowned. "It's the only time the castle will let us leave. Remember?"

"Aww!" Beast Boy grumbled in the background.

"Beast Boy," Ambrosia said, as her face appeared now next to Jericho's. "I think there is something you can help us do later tonight. I know we are still on a 'leave' of sorts, but you can help us with this. Are you listening?"

"Yes!" Beast Boy said, as he gave a fanged grin.

"When it turns nightfall here, I will go to your Tower with Jericho," she said.

"Huh?" Jericho looked at her with a frown.

"Just trust me, dear," she smiled. "I want to look at the grove you found me at again."

"Why?!" Jericho and Beast Boy now said together with full concern.

"Think of it as my way of closure for a place that trapped me for over a thousand years," she said with a hard frown. "I want to make sure the place knows that it was forgiven. Love, you know why."

"Okay," Jericho sighed, as he looked back through the memories. "You're right. We need to show that Nature is never at fault for what ill it was given. You were trapped, and Nature had nothing to do with it. I understand. Beast Boy, she may need that unicorn form. In fact, I'll be riding with her. We'll both need that form of yours."

"I don't know if it will be safe to view the place at night," she thought.

"Why do you think that?" Jericho asked her now. This made Robin look at the communicator. Starfire blinked, and now Raven's attention was caught. Cyborg wasn't sure what to make of it. Beast Boy snorted and frowned in thought.

"It's a feeling..." Ambrosia said. "A bad one."

"If you feel threatened, I have to find out why!" Jericho growled out. "You know I have no choice in this. As a Fae King, and your husband, I need to make sure you're protected at all times. Even now since you're carrying my son. I have to make sure."

"Hmm," Robin thought. "Mind if I tag along?"

"It's your city you need to protect. If she feels threatened in it, we need to make sure that the threat is gone. Yeah. Come along tonight. In fact, can you make sure that place is still there?" Jericho asked him. "I know it was there during the day before, but, if it's gone now..."

"We'll know something's up," Robin said. "I'll look into it."

"Thanks, Robin," Jericho nodded.

"Oh, before the two of you go off to play," Raven said, as she stepped forward to be seen. "I have a big question for you guys."

"What is it?" he asked. Ambrosia looked at her husband, and he smiled softly at her.

"The robe that Ambrosia gave me on her wedding day. I noticed that I felt...accepted? It happened after I wore it. I didn't say anything, since I thought nothing of it, but...well...I seem to feel stronger in it now. I also noticed that Sinlus saw me and got scared. He hesitated. And, now that I think about it, it was my robe that notified me that he was coming to confront us. Why?"

"Darling, which robe did you give her again?" Jericho asked his wife.

"Um, one of the two that my sisters held long ago. Jinx also got one. They didn't want to wear the pink maid gowns. Raven, you said you felt accepted by the robe? That shouldn't have happened! They were both worn by my sisters! Weren't they?" she thought now.

"They were robes that were in your bridal chambers. They were spares," Jericho sighed and shook his head. "Raven, you wore a robe that was never worn before. They are robes worn by High Warlocks. Exceptionally powerful and deadly Fae Mages. The top of their class, so to speak. Aelfric was just on the verge of becoming one. You say that you felt accepted by the robe. Even got a power boost. The robe knew that you were destined for it. If that wasn't the case, the robe wouldn't have felt right, and you wouldn't be wearing it now. Jinx didn't appear to think of anything, so the robe may not think she's strong enough for it yet. Give it time. She didn't complain about how the robe felt, so her robe is waiting for her to realize exactly what it is that she's wearing. Anyways, that robe you have is now yours. Permanently. You don't have to wear it all the time, but only you can wear that robe. Anyone else will get a nasty side effect."

"What kind of side effect? And what does all of this mean?" Robin asked.

"If Beast Boy wants to play guinea pig, he can try to wear the robe to see the side effect," Jericho grinned. "Otherwise, Raven can learn how to wield powerful Fae magic. There are books she can now read to support her own current power."

"Really?!" Raven blinked.

"Yes. However, if you really want to expose the true power of the robe, you need to learn its name," Jericho said. "Practically all Fae clothing have true names. At least, the ones made for Mages and members of the Court. Most of the more powerful clothing were fashioned by Dwarves. The robes are no exception. Find out the name of the robe, you have access to powers beyond your wildest dreams. Even the crowns my wife and I wear have names, but we aren't strong enough to know them yet. We are...still too young, in a sense."

"Too young?" Ambrosia frowned.

"Love, you were trapped for over a thousand years. Your mind lacks the real experience of a Queen. I'm 'borrowing' memories from you, and, surprisingly, the crown I wear is guiding me in what to do. I may not be a true Fae, but, since my original powers let me see memories on possession, the crown is able to gift me with the memories of both Aelfric and his father," he sighed. "They were transferred when the duplicate became the true crown."

"And when were you going to tell me this?!" she frowned.

"Sorry, dear. We've been preoccupied in other ways, right?" he grinned. She blushed at this, and he smiled. Hugging her close he looked back into the communicator and said, "So, yeah. I lack real experience on being a King. I know how to act and how to invoke my right, but I have no subjects. I have no people. I have to prove myself in the Fae Realms to show that I have what it takes to properly rule. If I can't, I'm just a King with no followers. A King by right, but it would only be a title with no true meaning. I'll be stuck where I am. I know I can rule. That's something ingrained in me now."

"Could you be a King of the Titans? Of us?" Cyborg asked.

"What?" Robin frowned.

"Think about it," Cyborg grinned. "We Titans are powerful. We're people. Maybe not Fae, but he is our friend and we trust what he says. He proves his worth to us now. We even trust Ambrosia!"

"You would need to live with us and away from the world you know," Jericho frowned. "Not all the time, but it would need to be done when we know we are expecting visitors. It could be bad if someone strikes unexpected in your cities and it's during the day for us. I'm lucky enough to be in the situation I'm in right now! I know I'm a Titan, and I still want to be a Titan, but it's going to be rough."

"Being a family man with a kingdom to rule will be rough," Robin agreed. "But...to be a King of the Titans? I don't know about that. Most of us are human and don't like the thought of having to submit to being subjugated. I'm a human, and I already know I can't be subjugated. It wouldn't be me."

"We can make an alliance," Ambrosia smiled. "We call on each other for strengths to help our weaknesses. Fae made alliances with all in the past."

"Alliances are always of great value!" Starfire nodded. "I would know!"

"An alliance could prove that I can make just decisions," Jericho mused, as he recalled a few memories. "I will never misuse this offer. If I need you all, I'll definitely know it will be for important reasons. If you guys contact us, well, it could be for whatever reason you want. But, if I contact you, it will mainly be for business. If Ambrosia contacts you, it can be for gossip and such. A Queen always likes to make get-togethers and plan parties with alliance races. A King only calls on an alliance if a problem is needed to be solved with more than one race. We'll need to draw up a contract, though. A treaty that validates everything."

"Okay. Jericho, I hate to do this, but I'm going to relieve you of being a full-time Titan. We'll know we can count on you, regardless. But, because of your position, you can't be there for us when we need you. You'll be considered, oh, a backup Titan. One that we'll call on if we have no other choice," Robin said. "I'd be an idiot, if I severed you or Ambrosia away from us completely."

"I'm sure my future kids will become Titans, anyways," he nodded. "As long as I'm still considered a Titan, I'll accept your decision. Love?"

"I would definitely accept to be a Titan," she smiled. "I thought I was one, anyways."

"And, if we find more Fae castles and prove that an alliance with strong human heroes is possible..." Jericho mused. Robin blinked and grinned at the idea.  _More heroic protectors could be found and trained to work together._

"Especially if the Unseelie Court took a notice in us," Robin muttered. "We'll need all the help we can get! Beast Boy? What's wrong?"

"Raven got her robe," Beast Boy said, as Raven walked over with the black cloth.

"Come on. Wear it," Raven said.

"I dun wanna!" Beast Boy pouted. "I'm a chicken!"

"I eat chicken," Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy gaped and fumed.

"Just do it," Robin sighed.

"I want to see what would happen!" Starfire said. "Silkie does, too, see?! Please, Beast Boy? Think of this as an act of bravery!"

"Oh...fine..." he grumbled, as he accepted defeat. "Give me the stupid robe..."

"Careful, Beast Boy," Jericho warned. "The robe is  _alive_  in a sense. It can understand you."

"Ah! I mean...nice robe! Please be nice?!" Beast Boy whimpered. Raven grinned and handed over the black garment. He put it on, and Robin watched curiously. After five seconds, Beast Boy squealed with pain and shouted, "GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF MEEEEE!"

"What happened?!" Starfire gaped, as Raven quickly got the robe off before it was damaged.

"It was sticking me with needles! Thousands of needles!" Beast Boy gasped and shuddered, as he looked himself over. He found no wounds at all. "I'm serious! I felt like a pin cushion!"

"Okay, what happened, Jericho?" Robin asked.

"You tell them!" Jericho gasped out to Ambrosia from his laughter. Tears were falling from laughing so hard, and Cyborg was howling with his own laughter.

"Very well," Ambrosia sighed. "The robe did not like the feel of Beast Boy's skin. So, it did the only thing it could do. It made itself uncomfortable to wear. Think of silk becoming sandpaper. It also has the ability to shock the nervous system. Much like how a limb falls asleep from lack of blood, the robe can imitate that effect to a very high degree. If Beast Boy ignored the sensations, the robe would have started to feel too heavy to wear. Eventually, he would have suffocated from the heaviness felt. Only Raven will feel no effects, since the robe belongs to her. I...know all of this, because I tried to wear a robe before. My elder sister had warned me, and I chose to ignore the warning. When the robe started to crush me, my elder sister walked in just before I lost consciousness."

"And when were you going to tell me this?!" Jericho growled at her now.

"You saw my memories. Not my fault you did not take the time to view them in full," she said.

"Burn!" Cyborg grinned.

"Then I guess I'm going to need to explore you both physically and mentally. Right?" Jericho grinned wickedly at her. She paled, and he looked at the communicator now. "I'm going to be busy for a few hours. Only contact me if it's an emergency!"

"Ah...right..." Robin blushed and looked away. "Okay. Talk to you later."

"Later," Jericho grinned, and the connection closed. Robin groaned, and Cyborg was laughing.

"Well, it's still dark out here," Beast Boy thought as he recovered. "I'm gonna go check out where the grove is. As an owl."

"Starfire, can you go with him as backup?" Robin asked.

"Yes. I remember where it is, too," she nodded.

"I'll open a window in the night defenses so you two can get back," Cyborg said.

"I want to go with you both," Raven said. "I want to see this place."

"Maybe we should all go," Robin thought. "Wait. I need to contact Hot Spot. You guys can go. I'll monitor the place here. Keep your communicators on!"

"Right," Beast Boy said, as he became an owl. Raven's eyes turned white when she started to hover, and her High Warlock robe moved of its own accord to cover over her protectively. That made her pause with surprise. It actually seemed to merge with her own robe to bond with it, yet still remain separate. At first she was alarmed, but then she felt that it was a completely protective, caring feeling she got from it. It was making sure she would come to no harm.  _The robe really was alive._

"You will tell me your name later, right?" Raven muttered to it. At the feeling of intense contentment, she seemed to smile.

"Did the robe talk to you?!" Robin gaped.

"Not really. It's more like...sensations. It likes me. It wants to protect me. I feel no malice at all. I know I am safe," Raven nodded. "I feel that...well...once I know its name, it can eventually let me see visions of various things. Memories that it knows. I'll have to see later on."

"Well, that robe clearly dislikes Beast Boy," Starfire frowned. The robe seemed a touch haughty, but also apologetic to Raven.

"No. It sees him as an ally, but not as a kinship. He will be fine to be around," Raven nodded.

"Very strange," Robin chuckled. "But, if you feel no harm..."

"No. I don't," Raven nodded again. "Let's go!"

"I'll help Robin here," Cyborg said, as he took Silkie from Starfire. The three Titans left, and Robin opened communication to Hot Spot. The fiery Titan was relaxed and showed he had dark skin and black hair like Bumblebee, and as his face appeared on the small screen.

"Robin! My man! What's the word?" Hot Spot asked.

"Jericho is going to be a father," Robin said.

"What?" Hot Spot blinked. "Already?!"

"Yes. He is. And, since he's a King, he has a castle to rule. Empty or not. We came to the conclusion that he can be a Titan that will be called on as a last resort. So...he won't be joining the South Titans anymore. He has a family to care for. However, he is still a Titan. Ambrosia suggested an alliance. The Fae Folk made alliances all the time. This way, we can call on them, and they can call on us for emergencies. With the Unseelie Court hovering in wait..." Robin sighed.

"True. We all felt what the Unseelie Court was like. I'll have to find a Titan to fill the gap that Jericho is leaving behind. We'll figure it out. What's going on now?" he asked.

"Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven are checking out the grove that Ambrosia was trapped in. To make sure it's still there," Robin said. "If it's not there now, while it's still night, then we may have a problem. Originally, it could only be seen at night by animals. If it's gone, we'll have issues."

"Oh?"

"Ambrosia is getting bad vibes from something. If the grove is gone, we may be looking at another gathering of Titans. Maybe on a global scale."

"We'd be talking about an evil that goes beyond centuries! I mean...I haven't even heard of this Court until I felt it! We've been researching it all over."

"I'm sure everyone that was at the wedding is doing what they can to research that Court. Hold on! It's Beast Boy! I'll patch him into a three-way conversation," Robin said, as the communicator blinked. The signal was patched in, and Beast Boy was revealed in the forest. "Beast Boy, Hot Spot is on the line, too. What did you find?"

"The grove! It's gone!" Beast Boy said incredulously.

"WHAT?!" Robin gaped. Now Hot Spot was making plans to visit.

"Yes! It's not here! It's all forest! Even that weird rune thingy is gone!" he panicked.

"He is speaking truth, Robin," Starfire said, as she moved next to Beast Boy.

"The energy here feels...depleted..." Raven frowned. "Tampered with. Not by normal means, either. We need Jericho and Ambrosia here to verify what happened. Or we need an explanation."

"It's like, the place is alive, but...lifeless!" Beast Boy frowned.

"Did you see anything in animal form?" Robin asked. "Or mystical form?"

"I tried as a bear and a unicorn. The grove is gone," Beast Boy sighed.

"A unicorn?" Hot Spot asked. "I saw the dragon, but a unicorn?!"

"They used to exist," Beast Boy shrugged. "Either that, or I didn't know I could change into them. I tried it, and it worked. It's kinda fun!"

"We're heading back," Raven said. "We'll need to come back during the day to find more clues."

"Even that burned stump of wood is missing," Starfire frowned. "Almost like it never existed."

"Everything is gone," Beast Boy said. "How can a stream vanish?! It was huge!"

"Come back to the Tower, and I'll contact Jericho now," Robin said.

"Wait for us to get there," Raven said.

"Why?" Robin scowled.

"You look funny when you blush," Raven grinned.

"I think not!" Robin fumed. "Hot Spot ..."

"I'll contact the others. We'll have another massive meeting. Talk to ya soon," Hot Spot nodded. Back in Ireland, Jericho and Ambrosia were dressed in large, plush, silvery robes and enjoying their solitude. He was giggling with her, as they fed each other strawberries and cream on a plush silk rug in the bedroom. She was securely in his lap, and he was in a state of bliss.

"Delicious," he smiled and cuddled her.

"Is it?" she chuckled. He kissed her lovingly and blinked at the sound of the communicator. He sighed, and she nuzzled him. He got up and carried her over to the bed to set her down on it.

"Yes?" Jericho asked, as he answered it.

"The grove is gone," Robin said. Ambrosia gasped sharply, and Jericho hugged her close.

"How do you know?!" Jericho asked quickly.

"Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven confirmed it. And it's at night when it should have appeared. You would think that, with her curse gone, it would still be there!" Robin fumed. "The moon is out, too."

"I still have some of Sinlus's memories. Let me think," Jericho frowned. "Hmm. Damn it!"

"What?!" he demanded.

"The grove was attached to his powers. He made the grove to trick Ambrosia into sitting down! That was how she was caught!" Jericho growled. "Even when we were there, we still felt that calm and serene feel when she was freed, now that I think about it. That was the lingering effects she felt of her curse. When his powers were stripped, the grove was affected, too! The entire thing was one giant illusion, and the land was affected by it. I don't know if it will come back during the day, but I doubt it. I can't believe I looked over this!"

"Dear, you were only to reveal what was needed to be known at the time. What else can you recall?" she asked. "Now would be the time to speak out more."

"True," Jericho nodded. "Ah...no way..."

"What?" Robin asked.

"Ambrosia's first entrapment...to keep her from bringing back her family," he winced. "She was trapped for ten years. Not twenty. It seemed like twenty, because Sinlus cast a spell to enhance the decomposition of the bodies to be twice as fast! She was able to keep from getting trapped in the box for ten years by being on the run and not sitting down. When she was caught, it was exactly ten years later. So, when the box got ahold of her again, it was a full century of time in the box for that first century. The box was not a key source of Sinlus's power, but it was a core part of her curse. I...wait...oh, no..."

"Save it for the group meeting with the Titans. It's going to have to happen when you get here," Robin said. "I have some calls to make."

"No! This can't wait!" Jericho hissed. "Robin, everyone has to come  _here_! Not to the Tower! It won't be safe! The crystals will keep us from getting spied on!"

"Many will want to meet at the Tower first," Robin said.

"Well...maybe we can gather out there first, then," Jericho thought.

"It will be nightfall here, love," Ambrosia reminded him.

"Damn it! I can't leave my castle unguarded at night!" Jericho growled. "I can't leave unless it's going to become dawn! The Unseelie Court made that box for Sinlus! Sinlus's body is dead, but his soul isn't! We saw his soul get locked away within the Court, remember?! The box was the key that kept most of his powers locked away. The Court let him use the box to trap Ambrosia, but he was also bound to the box and unable to use his full spiritual powers. It was how the Court kept their tabs on him. With the box destroyed, all of his powers came back to him. We destroyed the box, because we didn't want it used against Ambrosia ever again, or anyone else. He didn't need a body to live in! So, yeah, the Unseelie Court destroyed the vessel his spirit was held in to uphold their Judgment. His body. They kept his powers intact! He had made a deal with the Court that he would never be caught, and, if he ever was, he would sacrifice his body to uphold his end of the deal. So, they honored their vow to Sinlus."

"So...it isn't really over, is it?" Robin asked carefully.

"No. It just started," Jericho scowled. "I know the Unseelie Court is going to approach us and talk to us. As to when, well, that's just a matter of time. That's why you all need to be here. Where I know I can safely protect all of you from the mind of the Court. They will have to appear on  _my_  turf. Tell me. Was that rune there? Where the grove should have been?"

"No. That was also gone," Robin said.

"This is bad," Jericho admitted. "Okay. I'll have to see about preparing a gathering chamber here. I know how to do it. Call whoever you can that wants to help. I...need to call on our alliance for this. Will you help me? Will you help my wife and unborn son?"

"It was a given, either way, Jericho. You know I'll help you and your family," Robin smiled.

"Sinlus is no longer Fae. His body was Fae. His soul was Elven, but now fully corrupted by the Unseelie Court. Gather up anyone you can. We all need to discuss this," Jericho sighed.

"Sorry your honeymoon was cut short," Robin chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah. It was bound to happen," he muttered. Ambrosia whispered to him softly, and he blinked. Then he looked at her a touch wolfishly. "Okay. I can squeeze whatever I have left into three hours. Robin. When everyone is gathered up and ready, let me know. I'll make sure the meeting chamber is ready for use."

"I have only one last question before we break off," Robin said.

"What's that?" Ambrosia frowned.

"How do we kill something that's already dead?" Robin asked.

"We'll look into it," Jericho promised. The communicator went out, and he closed it. He looked at his wife and hugged her tight to his chest.

"Is there no end to this?!" she whimpered.

"We'll make an end to it!" he growled. "I promise you!"

"I was locked away in that...that thing...for eleven centuries of my life!" she cringed.

"I know," he grimaced and ran his hands over her back and arms lovingly. "Hush, my love. Hush. I'll make things right for you. I promise you this. I'll make things right."

"I am very scared about something," she admitted.

"Tell me. I'll stop your fear," he soothed.

"Aelfric is being reborn as our son. I...do not want...Sinlus...to do the same!" she trembled.

"I will  _never_  allow that to happen!" he seethed at the thought. "I know it is Aelfric's soul in your womb right now! I doubt that any form of idea could have been thought of before this happened. Besides...darling...only a Fae can be reborn as a Fae. Sinlus is not Fae."

"He was half Fae."

"Only in body."

"That is all he needs!" she said now. He hated it when she told the truth. "Husband, even I know that it is Aelfric in my belly. It's a warm, loving feeling that I shared with him in life. I know I am safe right now. I also know that we are going to want more children after he is born. I am so worried..."

"Don't think of it now," he sighed and hugged her tight. "Raven is wearing the robes of a High Warlock. I'll teach her the spells she needs to help support our cause. Don't think for a second that she would allow that thing to be reborn as our son!"

"You would not kill Sinlus, if he was our son," she whispered. "Would you?"

"I would," he frowned. "I'd have no choice. To protect you, the Fae Realms, and everything I stand for as a King and a Titan. My son or not, I would have to kill him and ensure that his soul was obliterated. I would not hold back on his destruction."

"The Unseelie Court kept their vow on killing him and cutting away his powers," she frowned.

"In body, they did. Now that his soul is among the rest of theirs, he can be used as they see fit."

"I just had a very bad thought..."

"Tell me."

"I really hope that the Unseelie Court does not plan to have a House of royal Fae with their own souls within them. Do you know...how bad it could turn out? Royals with the souls of the Unseelie Court living within them? To be used as puppets to the Unseelie Court's whims and not have any free reign of thought? They could even use the bodies of Fae to spy within the Seelie Court, too! You know as well as I do that Fae are good creatures. We would never do any ill!"

"I know. It would destroy the very fabric of what a Fae stands for. We need to see if there are other Fae out there. If the Unseelie Court is on the move, then we need to warn everyone else."

"Do you think we can in time?"

"We can only hope," he said gently and hugged her. "Come, love. Let's make a chamber for our friends to gather. We need a place of meeting."

"I think I know the place," she nodded.

"Show me," he smiled.

"I will...but first I need to show you something else," she said with a soft blush.

"Like what?" he grinned. Then he gasped and growled at the nibble she gave him. "You sneaky, evil wife! Come here!"

She squeaked and managed to skip a short ways away from him. As he gave chase and they finished off what was fast becoming what was left of their honeymoon, Robin was already contacting every Titan that he knew of on his list of contacts.

"Another change in plans?" Hot Spot asked.

"The Unseelie Court may be on the move. Jericho's castle is the only safe spot until we get the necessary tools we need that can help us defend ourselves against the Court. It's a long shot, but we have no choice," Robin said. "I wish there was another way around it, but there isn't."

"Wonderful. All right, I'll tell my group here. I was thinking that Kid Flash could join up with us here to replace Jericho," he said. "What do you think?"

"If he agrees, then do it! He'll have Jinx with him, too, I think. Go for it," Robin grinned.

"You're right," Hot Spot grinned. "Anyways, Wildebeest and Pantha are going to be there. Wildebeest missed the wedding, but we filled him in. Herald is already making plans to help out. Did you get ahold of Bushido?"

"Not yet. I'm going to now," Robin nodded.

"Okay. I'll see about getting ahold of Kole, Gnarrk, and the others of Titans North. Is everyone from Titans East going to show up for this?"

"They were there for the wedding. If I give the word, they'll show up," Robin said.

"Do that first. Then contact Bushido," Hot Spot suggested.

"Will do," Robin nodded. The connection closed with him, and Bumblebee was contacted next. At her consent with the others that they would be at the castle, he contacted Bushido. The hardened late teen was fighting off a couple men that were attempting to disrupt the peace of the town he was defending, and he had just finished them off when his communicator went off.

"Yes?" Bushido asked. He tilted his head, as his top knot wavered slightly. His garment, a kimono, was white with inner blue cloth reflecting the inside of the highly pointed collar, and it was trimmed in black, save the sleeveless sides. A blue belt held it in place. Black half pants and black slippers helped him move silently. He wore black gauntlets, and he carried his blue-pommeled katana at his side honorably.

"It's Robin. I've got a long story for you, and you'll either believe me or disconnect on me. If you don't believe me and need proof, you can ask Hot Spot, Jinx, Kid Flash, anyone from Titans East..."

"Just tell me what you need to tell me. Everything is calm now," Bushido said, as he made his way to a tall building to rest on the roof. It took almost an hour for everything to be explained, and the honorable teen had no idea on what to think.  _Jericho was married now? Fairy tales have come to life?!_

"I know it's crazy. Beast Boy hasn't rubbed off on me, I swear it," Robin said.

"All right. Where is this...castle?" he asked.

"It's in Ireland. Contact Herald. He'll help you get there. It can only be reached at night. If you get there early, you will have to wait in front of the hill you appear at."

"I'll do that," Bushido nodded. _If other Titans had witnessed this, who am I to argue?_  Robin sighed and shook his head, as he tossed the communicator down.  _All of it sounded like a crazy ride. But, it happened. I was there. I saw everything. I saw what Ambrosia looked like when she was found. I saw her wedding to Jericho. I saw what being a King has done to Jericho. Am I jealous? Maybe a little. Only because Jericho was now acting like a true leader. He said he was given access to the memories of who wore the crown before him. Even though it was a double, the power was transferred. Jericho was now a very heavy force to be reckoned with, and even more now, since he had access to things that shouldn't even exist. He had a mystical, beautiful wife and a son on the way._  He was happy for his fellow Titan, but also disgruntled with himself.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned, as she walked over.

"I talked to Bushido. He's going to be there," he said. "I'm tired. I feel like I haven't had any sleep for days! All of this traveling back and forth...now a new threat on a scale of...of...heck, even I don't know what we're up against!"

"But, we felt it. The Unseelie Court. We know how evil it is," Starfire said and sat by him. "If that thing reaches out to everyone and beyond Earth..."

"It would be disastrous. I know," he nodded.

"So...I was thinking, Robin," she frowned.

"What?" he asked.

"Can we try...um...heavy petting?" she asked.

"Buh...what?!" he gaped at her.

"I just...I want to try it," she said.

"Star...um...how do I say this..." he stammered. She reached over and put her hands over his.  _Seize the moment._ That was what he was told before. _Who knew when this would happen again?_  He gave a heavy sigh. He looked at her and kissed her. When he pulled away, she was in shock. He blushed and cleared his throat as he looked around.

"Is there more?" she asked carefully.

"I...want to do more. But, now is not the time. We have a lot to do," he said softly.

"Maybe...a little more?" she asked hopefully. He found himself laughing a bit, and he kissed her again. He heard someone coming down the hall, and he broke the kiss.

"Aelfric was a moron..." Robin sighed.

"Why do you speak such a thing?" she asked.

"Well," he started. "Ambrosia told me that he never kissed her. Maybe a few times on the cheek or on the hand. Jericho gave her the first kiss she never got. I guess it's okay, since he married her now. Most of the time, if a guy kisses a girl, it's just to feel nice. Nothing special. But, if it's done to someone special, then every kiss counts. It's just what I think."

"And...am I someone special to you?" she blushed.

"Star, you are always special to me," he blushed back. She beamed at him and hugged him tight. He paused at first, but he hugged her back.

"Hey, guys. Did I miss something important?" Cyborg asked, as he walked in.

"We did heavy petting!" Starfire beamed. Robin blushed hard and hid his face in his hands.

"What? Did I just hear her right? You guys made out?" Cyborg asked.

"No! Well...a little...maybe..." Robin sighed and switched back from awkward late teen to leadership mode. "Anyways, I got ahold of Bushido. He's going to join up with us. Hot Spot is going to talk to a few others. Titans East is going to join us, too."

"Haha! Okay, Robin. I'll let you be alone with your girlfriend," Cyborg snickered.

"Quiet!" Robin flustered, and Starfire beamed again. "What's it like outside?"

"It's nearing dawn," Beast Boy said, as he walked in with Raven.

"Herald is here," Raven said. "He's curious about my robe. He wants to see if he can get one."

"He can ask Jericho and Ambrosia," Robin said. "I'll contact them now to make sure they're ready for us. Starfire, um..."

"Yes, Robin?" she smiled.

"Promise me that you'll stay safe through all of this," he said.

"Robin, I will be with you through all of this. I will be safe," she smiled. He nodded with a smile, and Beast Boy chuckled. Raven gave a small smile and watched Robin grab the communicator.

"Yes?" Jericho asked in his whispery tone, as he hushed his wife on the other end.

"Everyone's getting ready to come over. I thought you might want to know," Robin said.

"Thanks for the heads up! Ambrosia...!" Jericho hissed and cleared his throat. "Ah...yeah. We have a room ready for you guys to meet up in. I was able to activate a few new things in the castle, so you'll know where to go. Just follow the lights that appear."

"Will do," Robin said. He blinked at how Jericho growled at something. "Everything okay?"

"Eh...yeah..." Jericho winced. "You...um...called at a bad time. I'll put it like that..."

"Okay, disconnecting now, we'll see you later!" Robin said quickly and shut down the connection. Small snickers of laughter were heard and Robin groaned weakly.

"Pay up," Raven grinned to Cyborg.

"Fine!" he sighed and gave over another ten bucks. Back in Ireland, Ambrosia was able to bathe with Jericho, and they discussed what they were going to wear.

"We should wear our wedding clothes," Jericho said, as he helped dry her hair.

"You think so? Um...would it be too much?" she frowned.

"There will be others there that have never seen you before. They would not have witnessed our marriage. You may have to wear your mask, too. As a precaution at first," he smiled. "The streets have been repaired, and the buildings feel welcoming again. I'm sure that, if any of the Titans need a getaway, they can come here and pick a place of residence for themselves. Would you mind that?"

"Not at all!" she beamed. "Okay. I shall don my wedding dress and heirloom jewelry."

"I don't think I'll be able to straighten my hair again."

"You don't need to."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," she smiled and kissed him softly. "You think my choice of a gathering chamber is good? Not too strange or awkward?"

"It's perfect. I'm sure many of them will be hungry, too. I'll let you show off a few of your talents to them," he chuckled. She touched his throat again, and he coughed when her crown flared a soft, healing blue before shimmering out. Clearing his throat, the whispery tone was a bit stronger. "You should heal your legs, love."

"I have you to hold me up. I will be fine," she beamed.

"Hold you and lay you down," he muttered, as he kissed her deeply. He would never get enough of the honeyed taste her mouth held.

"Later, darling. Later," she smiled. "We have guests to see to."

He muttered in the language of the Fae, and she blushed at what he suggested. Then he grinned and kissed her gently, as he whispered, "If anyone disrespects you, I'll be more than happy to give them a piece of my mind. I really wanted to throttle Jinx a few days ago!"

"I know you did, love. But, she is wearing a High Warlock's robe now. She needs to be aware of what it can help her do. I don't think she understands the power she can wield. You will need to help her with that. Raven, too," she sighed. "Anyways, we need to dress. I'll be able to stand for a bit on my own. Don't worry so much about me. Cyborg's chair isn't that far off."

"All right," he nodded. He placed a hand on her belly, and she blushed at him. He knew his son was growing in there. The sensation was incredible. _The little life we made together will be heavily protected._ He kissed her passionately before forcing himself to tear away from her. He loved her more than life, itself, and he would defend her with everything he had. As he started to walk away from her, he gasped at the feel of her slamming into his back to hug him tight to her.

"Jericho!" she whimpered.

"What?! Ambrosia! What is it?" he asked, and he turned quickly in her arms to gaze down into the depths of her deep blue eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Don't leave...just yet..." she whispered, and he lifted her up to kiss her hungrily. As they were giving in to their needs of each other once again, there was a small crowd waiting outside the hill.

"How long has this been here?" Bushido asked.

"Over a thousand years from what we know. Could be even longer than that," Cyborg said.

"Hmm," he thought. He looked up with the others, as the ground around the hill started to shake violently. Those that hadn't seen this yet had their jaws dropped with eyes wide. It lifted up again on the long, white marble pillars, but this time it stayed open. Soft, twinkling lights of various colors seemed to flood from the new entrance with a feeling of warm welcome.

"Now this is how we should have seen the place before," Robin smiled.

"True," Raven nodded. "Follow the lights?"

"Yep!" Robin nodded. This time, there was no feeling of death or cold when they walked in. The main street was repaired back to its former glory. The crystalline flowers hung from the light posts and glowed with soft lights resembling that of perched fireflies within them. Starfire was in awe of the whole place. All of it was enchanting and completely mystifying. Beast Boy was squealing with joy at the sight of the windows warm and lit up. The crystals that Cyborg helped replace glowed and sparkled with the soft light of the moon from their protective charges. This was how the castle town was supposed to have looked long ago.

"They've been busy," Raven smiled. She paused at the soft feelings her robe gave her and she chuckled. "I know. It is a beautiful castle home."

"The cottages here look like they can be lived in again," Herald said.

"I think that this would be a good safe house," Robin said. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was the idea, too. Anyways, the lights seem to be moving towards the building over there. The large one with the brick-like roof. Come on, Titans!"

"Wow!" a young girl said as a red, flickering light swirled around her and moved away.

"Lights not bad?" a caveman like man asked.

"No, Gnarrk. They good lights," Pantha grinned. "Kole is okay?"

"Yes! This place is beautiful!" she giggled. She had pink hair that flowed down to her shoulders and wore a blue and white short skirt jumpsuit and heavy boots. She almost looked like a butterfly with how the sleeves resembled wings. Gnarrk was obviously a caveman with a tribal necklace and a loincloth. He walked over on his knuckles and looked around a bit nervously.

"So...you're not mad about Jericho getting married to someone else?" Jinx asked her.

"Um...well..." Kole sighed. "Disappointed, maybe. I thought we had something. But...we grew apart. I thought that everything would be okay between us, but, since he can't talk and letters are hard for us...I'll be okay. I'm happy for him! I really am."

"Kole helps Gnarrk?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.

"Well, he does have a kid on the way now," Beast Boy grinned.

"What?!" Kole blinked.

"Oh, yeah. And he can talk now," Raven added.

"It is a whisper, but it is there!" Starfire grinned.

"He can talk now?" Kole asked incredulously. "And he is going to be a dad?"

"Yep!" Cyborg grinned. She looked away and smiled softly. She felt a touch hurt now. As they all approached the destined meeting area, Jericho was watching everything through the drifting lights of the castle, as they filtered around. The lights were actually helping him see and hear everything. Aelfric's memories were quite complex about how to do this, but he easily figured it out. He was also able to see through the moon crystals and hear through them, as well. He wasn't sure how that was, but he knew the answer would come to him eventually.

"Hmm..." Jericho frowned and sighed. "So, that's what happened. I see."

"What is it, dear?" Ambrosia frowned.

"I used to like someone. She's here. Don't worry, though. Everything is fine. She's happy for us. Things didn't work out. That's all. She is a good friend of mine now," he said and hugged her. He noticed his wife's silence, and he grimaced. "Love, my heart is yours. You are my wife and the mother of my children. Don't worry about it. I am yours. Nothing will change that."

"Will it?" she asked, as she turned in his arms to walk away. He growled, pulled her back to him, and hugged her tighter. She shivered, and he sighed. He pressed his mouth to her ear to tell her exactly what was going through her mind.

"Because of the memories you gave me, and the ones that Aelfric gave me, I know you more than you know yourself. You have  _nothing_ to worry about. You have nothing to fear. You are my life mate now. You were always my life mate. Through life and death."

"Jericho..." she sighed, and he tilted her face to his to kiss her hard. "You promise me this?"

"I have nothing to promise, since I already know," he smiled and rubbed her belly. "So, yes, I used to like Kole. I used to like Raven. I used to like a lot of girls. I have only truly loved you. I learned of your struggles. Your hardships. Your loneliness. Your joys. You showed me everything and even more. Don't worry about where my heart is. You are the one that has it. I feel that you were always the one that had it. Ever since I got those dreams, I just knew that it was a matter of time before you were led to me. Now that I'm at your side and your King, nothing will touch my heart. No one can steal my heart. You have me locked to your side at the hip!"

"Jericho," she breathed, and he kissed her again.  _This is my wife, and she is pregnant with my son._  This was all that mattered to him.

"We're both dressed and ready to meet them. I know they're all gathered. We need to see them," he smiled. "Come on. Let's go."

She nodded and he adjusted her hair, as she straightened out his gold cloak. She gazed at him lovingly, and he thought. When he was still in thought, she smiled and asked, "What is it, dear?"

"I used to live on a flat mountaintop in Tibet," he chuckled. "Now I live under a hill in Ireland. Gotta love the change in scenery! Of course, I was always peaceful. You know this."

"As I am, too," she nodded and ran a hand up his chest. "Maybe you could take me to the place you called home, sometime? I would love to see it."

"We can arrange something," he nodded. He kissed her again and thought. "Let me approach them first. Then I'll call you out. Wear your mask. And remember one thing."

"What's that?" she asked.

"That I love you and only you," he smiled softly. He kissed her deeply and pressed his forehead against hers. Their crowns shimmered as they touched to prove the love between them. It almost felt that they enjoyed each other as much as he enjoyed her. He truly did love her more than life itself. _If anything happened to her, I wouldn't know how to move on in my life._ "I love you, Ambrosia."

"I love you, too, Jericho," she breathed and got kissed again before he pulled himself away from her. She placed her silver mask on and watched him move into the large building. It was actually an old dining hall. It fit everyone neatly with even more space available, if it was needed. At the sight of him, everyone whistled and cheered. When his crown sparkled with life, many gasped at its beauty.

"Yeah, yeah, it's good to see you all, too!" Jericho managed to say in his whispery voice.

"Your voice is stronger?" Starfire asked.

"A bit. Ambrosia has been trying to help it along. I still have a ways to go, but I'm talking," he chuckled. "Anyways, I'm glad you're all here. So you all know, this is a dining hall. Yes, I'm going to feed you guys. However, I need Ambrosia's help."

"Where is the lucky lady?" Cyborg grinned.

"Ambrosia? Come to me?" Jericho asked. She walked in slowly, as her wedding gown sparkled and set off small twinkles of light. Once again, the sheer beauty and mystical presence the dress gave off caught the room in a state of silent shock. Now that she was walking, she appeared to float, and that magnified the experience even more. Starfire was happy that her friend was walking. Raven was ready to help her, but it was unneeded. The silver mask was set on Ambrosia's face as a precaution, as she approached her husband. He hugged her to him and whispered to her.

"Of course, love," she nodded. When she removed the mask, silence at her stunning beauty was all around. "Just so you new ones know, I am Ambrosia, a Queen of the Fae Realms. When Jericho first saw me, I was a princess. He, and various honorable Titans, assisted me in removing a thousand year old curse. He did not fall in love with me for my beauty. He fell in love with me, because..."

"I saw her for who she truly was," Jericho smiled, as he gently interrupted her. "And it was the same for her with me. Right? Or am I wrong? Do I dare want to know?"

"I thought I proved that to you earlier," she smirked. That made him blush a bit, and laughter started up all over the room.

"Point made! Anyways, love, the Titans are hungry," he grinned.

"Speak out what you want, and it shall appear before you!" she smiled and various twinkling lights now hovered before each Titan. "It does not matter what it is. It shall appear."

"A steak!" Cyborg grinned and gasped with joy at the large, sizzling slice of T-Bone that appeared on a large platter before him.

"CYBORG!" Beast Boy cringed. "Dude! Ugh! Tofu Burger!"

"I wonder if I can get a delicacy from Tamaran!" Starfire giggled and named the dish. When it appeared, she drooled and started eating. Robin got a large pizza to appear, and now the other Titans were enjoying themselves with their chosen dishes.

"And what will we have?" Jericho smiled at his wife, as he helped her sit down.

"You haven't tasted Fae honey, right?" she asked. At his whisper, she blushed hard and swallowed. Then she shook her head at his wicked giggle.

"Otherwise, no," he grinned. A small bowl of golden brown honey appeared before them. She fed him a small spoonful, and he was amazed at how hearty it was.

"Ambrosia, what's that?" Beast Boy asked.

"Fae honey. The type of honey that I usually ate long ago. It's very high in protein and fills you up more than your tofu burger," she chuckled. "Of course, there is no meat in it."

"Really? Can I try some?" he asked. A small bowl appeared before him, and he tasted it. "WOW! This stuff rocks!"

"Okay, now I need to try it," Robin grinned. More bowls appeared for those that wanted it, and the surprise was shown by the ones that tried it.

"Amazing!" Kole chuckled. "Um, can we carry this with us?"

"Of course," Ambrosia smiled. "I can conjure up some jars. They are an excellent emergency food source. The higher in concentration it is, the less you need to fill you up. It can be so strong that a single finger full can satisfy you all day."

"How wonderful!" Jinx nodded.

"Now I really am a bee!" Bumblebee giggled.

"This stuff can really put a kink in my gears, if I'm not careful," Cyborg mused. Ambrosia smiled and then blinked as the room spun. She put a hand to her mouth, and now Jericho looked at her with concern. When she started to turn green, he panicked.

"What's wrong with her?!" Robin asked.

"She looks ill!" Starfire gaped. Raven frowned, activated her hovering powers, and swooped over to grab her to take her to the nearest bathroom.

"Ambrosia!" Jericho winced. "What could have caused that?!"

"Ah, I think I can explain," Bumblebee said. "Jericho, she's pregnant. What normally happens at the beginning stage of a pregnancy?"

"The mother could get...ah...damn it!" Jericho winced and hung his head.

"So...that's the kid?!" Cyborg blinked.

"Yes," Bumblebee nodded. "Apparently."

"How long do pregnancies like hers last for?" Jinx asked.

"Let me think...ah...great..." Jericho sighed. "Three months."

"Wait, what?!" Hot Spot gaped.

"Yeah. Three months for a full pregnancy. Um...I'm kinda new at this. I'm only going off of what Aelfric's father's memories can show me. I'm...surprised I didn't look into this," he admitted.

"Three months and your son is born?" Robin gaped.

"Huh," Starfire thought. "It is six months for my people."

"Normally it's nine for humans," Cyborg mused.

"Ambrosia," Jericho sighed and got up to check on her. "Um, sorry if I don't seem very hospitable right now..."

"Go check on her. We'll be fine," Hot Spot nodded. Kole found herself giggling. She actually felt a lot better about this. _It was fun to watch Jericho get flustered!_

"Ambrosia?" Jericho whispered out, as he walked into the small bathroom. Raven held out her hand to keep him back a bit while she knelt with her. "How is she?"

"Sick. What else?" Raven frowned and stood up. "You got it from here?"

"Yes. Ah, Raven, just so you know, it's a three month pregnancy. I'm just telling you so that you know what they'll be talking about out there."

"Three...months...wow...okay. Thanks," Raven blinked. When she left, he knelt down to his wife's side, and she was shivering. She retched again, and Jericho squeezed her with comfort when it was done. She pushed herself away from the toilet-like seat, and he held her gently.

"I remember," Ambrosia sighed, and he kissed her forehead. "The first week...tended to be rough. It could even be...two weeks...or more...I think...dear...um..."

"It's all right," he smiled and cradled her. "It's why I'm here. Can you walk?"

"I don't know," she admitted. He got up and carried her in his arms. This was something he would never get tired of. When he walked back into the dining hall with her, many saw the concern etched in his brow. He set her back in her chair and sat next to her. She grimaced at the lights and found them too bright. He frowned at this and pulled her into his lap so she could press her face into his neck. He gave her some water and a small bowl so she could rinse out her mouth lightly. He muttered a word of power to let them vanish away, and he sighed while he rocked her.

"Ambrosia, I have a question," Beast Boy asked.

"I'll answer it for you," Jericho nodded.

"Um...how many brothers and sisters did she have? Before Sinlus attacked?" he asked.

"She had roughly sixty in all," he smiled. That made small gasps of surprise.

"Do any of them still live?" Robin asked. "Did any survive?"

"No. They were all here for her wedding long ago," Jericho grimaced, as he hugged her. "Her youngest one was a brother. He was only five years old."

"You can't be serious!" Aqualad gaped.

"Most of the children we honored were her siblings and older brothers and sisters," he frowned. "She was the youngest. One of them, anyways. Her oldest sister was almost two hundred years old. It's about how long her parents were married for, too. There were four younger siblings under her. A brother and three sisters. All of the others were older than her. They ranged from nineteen to two hundred."

"Did any of them have families?" Kid Flash asked.

"Yes. And all of them were here," Jericho winced at her shiver. "Her entire clan, family, and all of her friends were slaughtered overnight. Her wedding was special, because she was getting her mother's crown. None of her other sisters were worthy or showed any interest. Ambrosia just...it was instinctive for the crown to become hers. It's the only way to say it."

"Jericho," Robin said with a heavy frown. "over the communicator, you told me that the Unseelie Court was now at large, right?"

"Yes. All right, we'll begin the meeting. Ambrosia, darling? Can you sit by me?" he asked gently. She looked at him with tears in her eyes, and he hugged her. "Excuse me if I can't let her go."

"It's fine," Hot Spot said. "And why are you talking all...old-fashioned like? I've been wanting to ask for a while now."

"Yeah, I know. It's from all of the memories I got. It's something unavoidable. But it works. It helps keep her calm, and I'm not complaining about it," he grinned with soft shrug. "Robin, how much do they know? How much could you tell them?"

"As much as I could tell them without sounding like an idiot," Robin grinned.

"Okay," Jericho chuckled, and the others laughed. "Aelfric was taught a neat trick long ago. Everyone, stare at the wall. I'm going to make a projection with my memories."

"Can you do that?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Watch and find out," he grinned. As their attention turned to the wall, he focused and whispered forth several powerful words. Images started to appear of a tree swaying to a breeze under moonlight. When this was seen by all, he nodded, as it was a test run. Now the key elements of Ambrosia's curse came to life. First it was her memories of long ago. Then it was Beast Boy's memories of what she looked like in the grove that first night. Then it was her story to the Titans. Next was her grieving with Jericho. After that, small bits and pieces of everything came down together as to what happened during the past two days of the struggle with the curse. The visit to the castle was shown to reveal how the place was after so much neglect. When the wedding happened, it was shown in full. This included the feel of the Unseelie Court. When the images faded, many of them were upset at the memories. The new ones didn't know what to think.

"Now you all know, Titans," Robin said, as he stood up. "This is the new threat we may be facing. We don't know when it will happen, only that it's a possibility. Jericho? Are we safe here?"

"For now, we are," Jericho nodded. "An hour passed since I showed you all the images. Robin...I need to speak with you privately. With my wife. Please?"

"Okay," he nodded. "Titans, feel free to explore the place. They can, right?"

"Yes. If any of you choose a house here, say it out loud. A nameplate will appear over your door. You can all come here whenever you like, as long as it's nightfall. Daylight will shut you out, or lock you in, depending on the situation," Jericho smiled. "Robin? This way, please."

"Sure," he nodded. Ambrosia was carried gently towards one of the long hallways and set on one of the silk covered benches here. Now Jericho turned and looked out a large window. There was no glass or cover. It was simply an open area to let in the fresh, warm air.

"Robin," Jericho said, as he held his hands behind his back and under his gold, cape-like cloak. "What would you do...if you were faced with the decision of killing your own child?"

"What?!" Robin blinked. Ambrosia winced and shivered slightly.

"I know my firstborn son in my wife is pure. I can feel it is definitely Aelfric. But..." Jericho sighed. "my wife brought up a very scary fact after we spoke earlier today."

"What was that?" he asked. Jericho looked every bit like a worried King. Robin was a bit speechless at this.  _He was truly being guided on how to act and think._  It impressed him.

"Aelfric is a soul being reborn. Sinlus...his body was destroyed, but his soul was absorbed back into the Unseelie Court. I don't know...I hope not...but..."

"There is no way that would happen!" Robin growled when he caught on.

"But, if it did?" Jericho asked, as he looked at his friend. "I already know that, if I have a child born evil into the world, I would have to destroy it. Male or female, I can't let the knowledge of knowing that I created an evil child exist. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Fae are naturally non-violent. Peaceful and loving. Nurturing. If a vile child was born of Fae blood, it would destroy the very fabric of what a Fae is! I am just bringing this up to you, since the Unseelie Court is known for its patience. It's perseverance. If the Court cannot taint my child, it may look to others."

"You are talking nonsense! There would be no way!" Robin gaped.

"And, with how fast people have kids these days..." Jericho frowned.

"An enemy would be birthed, nurtured, and grown for your children to fight for years to come. Sometimes, multiples at a time. Well into your adulthood," Ambrosia sighed, as she placed a hand over her belly. "The crystals that glow are hiding our conversation, but the Unseelie Court has a lot of intellect. You saw this and felt this first hand."

"I'm bringing this up now, because your children may be affected in the future," Jericho said. "I am looking into how to keep such a thing from happening. I know that, um...dreamcatchers from the Indian tribes long ago can help catch anything that appears. But, that is for more modern day evil and not really accessible for ancient spirits. I would like to try experimenting with moon crystals in the tangled webs. At this point, I want to do everything that I can to protect everyone."

"Dreamcatchers?" Robin thought. "Well, we'd have to look into things that can drive off evil. Especially spirits, in this case. Raven might know more about this."

"We will need to ask her...ah!" Ambrosia whimpered, as the room spun again. Jericho hissed, scooped her up, and ran her into the nearest bathroom. Robin grimaced and shook his head with a sigh. He walked into the bathroom to find Jericho kneeling on the floor with her, as she coughed and retched.

"Three months..." Jericho sighed. "and the first week is normally the worst. Hopefully, it won't become two weeks, but we won't know for sure."

"Sorry...love..." she whimpered.

"Don't you dare say that it's your fault!" he growled. "Robin, there is something that we can do to safeguard the Towers. If you want to do it."

"Anything," Robin said.

"We'll need to see about harvesting extremely large moon crystals. At least six inches in diameter all around. Blue ones are the best, but any color will work. We'll need enough of them to set in all of the Towers over the doors and windows. As long as the moon is out, the crystals can be harvested. I can show you how it's done, but it's time consuming and you _have_  to be up early when dew drops are still touching the leaves of plants.

"Normally, it's done by Pixies. They have the lightest touch, and the crystals don't shatter when harvested. They are exceptionally fragile when they are first formed. And the moon has to be out still. The rainforest would be the best way, but you would need to make sure you're collecting dew instead of raindrops. It's...difficult to describe," Jericho muttered. He coughed again as Ambrosia's crown glowed a soft, healing blue, as she touched his throat, and he hissed with a rougher voice. "Ambrosia! Stop that! You can't keep healing my vocal chords!"

"I must!" she whispered back. "If there is a war coming, you need to have a proper voice to speak with! Whispers will impress no one!"

"Actually, him talking after being mute is really impressive," Robin grinned. "But, I know what you're getting at. How much more healing does his throat need?"

"At the rate she won't leave it alone, it could be two months instead of two years. She should use her healing powers sparingly," Jericho frowned. "They can actually drain her, if she uses them too much at once. It's best to use them once a day...but..."

"All I need is a bit of sleep, and I'll be fine," she smiled.

"You are pregnant with our son!" Jericho growled. "I can't have you too weak! It would hurt you! It would hurt us!"

"Be quiet and let me repair your voice!" she muttered and touched his throat again. Her crown glowed a bit stronger with healing. He coughed harder, and his voice came out rougher. It was starting to deepen out, and she was starting to sag with how much healing power she was putting into it now.

"Enough!" Jericho winced and picked her up to hold her. "No more! At least wait until tomorrow? Please? You need to rest now!"

"I think you might be talking normally by the end of week," Robin mused.

"Don't help the situation!" Jericho grumbled. His friend laughed and Ambrosia smiled. "But, now you see the real issue, Robin. Everyone needs to be made aware of this fact."

"Is there a way to tell if an evil child is born?" he asked.

"Most Unseelie children have odd deformities. Large teeth. Strange eyes. Oddly shaped ears. From what I know, at least, when it comes to them in Pixie form. I...don't know about humans," Ambrosia sighed, as she was forced to rest against Jericho in his embrace.

"Darling," Jericho frowned and kissed her forehead. "we'll figure out what to do."

"I know," she smiled, and he rocked her gently. "Robin, would you like to see the gallery?"

"The gallery? Sure! Um, how much time do we have left before dawn? I really need to try getting some sleep soon. I've been losing it, as it is," Robin sighed.

"Hmm. You're right. Love? We'll let him see it next time. Let's gather the Titans together again, and we'll meet in the dining hall. We'll wrap up the meeting, and, those that stay, will stay. They have their cities and homes to protect, too," Jericho smiled. She nodded, and he lifted her carefully.

"I was just thinking about something," Robin said, as they walked back.

"What was it?" Jericho asked.

"Well, her pregnancy is three months. Three months is nine weeks. Human pregnancies are nine months. Do you think that her pregnancy is a month a week?" he asked.

"I...ah, you may be right!" Jericho blinked. "I didn't think of it that way before!"

"It's been almost half a week, and she's showing signs of carrying your kid. Normally, you'd think it would be about two weeks into it or so. But, if it's a month a week," Robin said.

"You're right," Jericho grimaced. "Well, at least I'll have some memories to look back on to help guide me through this. Normally, she'd have maids tending to her pregnancy. She's got no one but me."

"Love, you are all I need," she smiled. He chuckled and squeezed her, as he carried her. "But, I am curious. Would we need to hold a ball at some point? Normally, a ball, or a gala, can be a signal to any Fae cities in existence. We could see who shows up."

"Hmm. That's right, huh?" Jericho mused. "But, we would need to be careful. Anything could happen at one of these, if we don't take the necessary precautions."

"Like what?" Robin asked.

"Conspiracies always happen among powerful figures. If there are powerful Fae and creatures that appear, they could detect weaknesses in the Titans and exploit them. It could be to see what happens, or to try and sway hearts and opinions. Charms would need to be made to keep this from happening. The last thing we need is a Titan to get seduced and enchanted to do things that normally wouldn't be done. My crown protects me, as does my wife's. We are equals. A mated pair. Once my heart and her heart show that nothing can get between us, it's final. Coincidentally, our lives are also linked, too. If I die, there is a big chance that she could die of a broken heart. The same thing could happen to me," he grimaced. "Aelfric's father...well...Aelfric's mother died, and he barely survived it. Aelfric was his only son, and it was him that kept his father living. I...don't want the same thing to happen again."

"Then we'll need to make sure that doesn't happen," Robin muttered. "What was his father's name? You never told any of us."

"I didn't? Oh! It was Elvey. Aelfric's name meant that he was an Elf ruler, even though he was Fae. Elvey means Elf Warrior. And that Fae was every bit the warrior. Both in magic and with a weapon. He was one of the rarest of classes. He was a Battle Mage. What's scary is that I sort of 'inherited' his talents, because of his memories. Someone has to protect my wife to the fullest!" Jericho grinned. "And I make sure to use these new abilities justly."

"But, can you use this power?" Robin asked.

"I showed you all a sample of it to show you the memories on the wall, didn't I?" he asked.

"True. But, I haven't seen any real offensive power yet," Robin said.

"I fear that you will soon enough!" he growled, as he noticed something following them. His crown flared out, and now he snarled, "I'm sending out a mass message! Get to the dining hall! NOW!"

Robin blinked at the sudden change in his friend's temperament. It was a protective, dangerous vibe he was getting. He was going to see a very pissed off King, and he found himself nervous. When he got there, all of the other Titans had gathered quickly. Jericho stormed in carrying his wife, and he set her down tenderly in a chair. She was frowning, and he kept a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"What is it?" Hot Spot asked.

"There is an intruder!" Jericho growled in his rougher voice. It caught many by surprise. "Yes, my wife has been trying to fix my throat to the best of her abilities. I need to be able to talk."

"Who is the intruder?! I can't detect anyone!" Cyborg frowned.

"We'll make sure you have the ability to detect what can't be detected. Otherwise..." Jericho narrowed his eyes and glared at the ceiling. "I call upon the Will of Judgment! Show yourself or face the consequences now! Discard your cloaking and appear before us!"

Two small sprites appeared to hover in the air with mist-like bodies. They held no other features besides what they were and who they were representing. They seethed with an evil taint, and many of the Titans gaped with horror and outrage. Jericho rose up his hand to keep the order of the room calm, and Robin nodded for them to obey Jericho's wishes for now.

_"So rude! So rude!"_

_"We didn't mean to be prude!"_

"What are you doing here?!" Jericho ordered. Both sprites took turns to speak out their rhymes.

_"Curiosity killed the cat..."_

_"We merely wondered where you're at..."_

_"I'm sure you heard of Sinlus of Zee?"_

_"Right now! Right now! He begs to be free!"_

_"He wishes for a second chance!"_

_"To prove worthiness with that tongue of a lance!"_

_"We say no..."_

_"He jeers us so!"_

_"He offered a pact."_

_"A test of acts!"_

_"His box was ours..."_

_"It is gone. So sour!"_

_"We simply have a little plea..."_

_"Oh, listen! Please listen! So gen-ti-ly?"_

"You have my attention. If you are messengers of the Unseelie Court, you should have come to me directly instead of spying on my home," Jericho growled. His posture was rigid to show he wasn't taking any chances. "Of course, this means that the Court is also listening through you both. Sinlus wants to be free. How? What pact does he want?"

_"Tis the box, oh King of the Fae!"_

_"The box was cursed! We can't delay!"_

_"A series of tests..."_

_"A test of the nests..."_

_"The Titans powers..."_

_"We wish to shower..."_

_"To see what they lack!"_

_"Are they sharp as a tack?"_

_"Are they stronger than rocks?"_

_"Are they easy to mock?"_

_"A small set of tests..."_

_"No more. We don't jest!"_

"And how many tests are you thinking of?" Jericho asked carefully.

_"T'was eleven cycles of the box..."_

_"The beautiful Fae was cursed with locks..."_

_"So, you do the math!"_

_"We fear your wrath!"_

"So..." Jericho frowned. "Eleven cycles. Eleven centuries. Eleven tests. I see. But, what of Sinlus? You said he wanted to be free. There is a catch."

_"Yes! A catch! You are so quick!"_

_"Like raindrops soaked into earth's dark pitch!"_

_"Sinlus of Zee..."_

_"He wants to be free..."_

_"The more tests we fail..."_

_"The more he will wail!"_

_"The more tests we win..."_

_"The more he will grin!"_

"You mean to tell me..." Jericho fumed now. "that, if the Titans fail your tests, he will get the chance to be free?! To torment my wife?!"

_"We are not sure."_

_"If his thoughts are pure."_

_"His power is back."_

_"A body he lacks."_

_"He wants to be reborn."_

_"To walk the earth in the morn."_

"I will not let him be reborn of my wife!" he growled. "I will kill my own, if I must, to protect the Fae blood! I vow this!"

_"You would kill and do the slaughter..."_

_"Of your own son or daughter?!"_

_"A father are you?"_

_"Is this so true?"_

_"It matters not to he..."_

_"Sinlus of Zee..."_

_"Any will work!"_

_"But Fae blood is his irk!"_

"My wife is already pregnant. I will not endanger her health over this stress," he muttered.

_"We can wait!"_

_"Two months of his hate!"_

_"No more, no less."_

_"We do digress!"_

"Two months to prepare. Robin? I can't speak for you. They want to perform eleven tests that will start in two months' time. What do you think? You are the leader of the Titans," he winced.

"Bring it on. We'll be waiting," Robin nodded.

_"So brave! So bold!"_

_"Why do we feel cold?"_

At that the sprites disappeared, and Jericho started muttering to himself in the language of the Fae. This caught Robin by surprise. The language was warm and delicate to the ears.

"I am exhausted, Jericho," Ambrosia sighed. He looked at her with solid concern now.

"A bit longer, love. Then we'll go to bed," he promised and looked at the Titans before him. "What do you all think of this? What can you all think of this?"

"We fight back!" Pantha growled.

"We smash hard!" Gnarrk agreed.

"I'll run circles around them!" Kid Flash muttered.

"I'm curious if they can stand a little water," Aqualad grinned.

"Would you really kill one of your own?!" Bushido asked Jericho incredulously.

"What would you do to ensure the survival of those you need to protect?" Jericho asked him softly. This made Bushido go quiet and fall deep into thought. "It's painful, but...what else can I do?"

"Robin, I'm going to stay and hole myself up in their library," Raven said. "I need to research some new spells. Jinx? You should stay and learn about your robe. It's important."

"Speaking of robes, I'd like to see if I can get one," Herald said.

"Raven, your robe would know where to look," Jericho said. "Those of you who wish to stay, then fine. Robin, I can't ask you to leave yet. I need to do something...risky with you. If you'll allow it. It's important and I know you need it. After what just happened, I know this is needed."

"What would that be?" Robin asked. Jericho gestured to him to come close, and he whispered softly to keep the others from hearing.

"I want to duplicate some memories and implant them in your head," Jericho admitted. "I'm going to be caring for my wife. I can't take the time out to guide you all on what you need to do. Especially when it comes to defenses. It will be a lot to take in. Almost five hundred years' worth, if you combine Aelfric's and Elvey's memories together. Even over a thousand if I try to include a few of Ambrosia's, but you won't need many of her memories. You'll be rethinking a lot of your strategies that you thought were fool-proof before. What do you think?"

"To tell the truth," Robin sighed. "I was...jealous of how much of a leader you became. I mean, look at you! You're a King and a father-to-be now. A few days ago, you were a mute, peace-loving Hippy guy that strummed a guitar on our Tower roof! I felt very outclassed by the level of experience you gained in such a short while. Would there be anything about me that would change from all of this?"

"Other than your thinking, no. You'll still be the same, just better at strategizing. You might learn a few techniques to add to your fighting style, but nothing based on magical abilities. You'll learn a lot of Fae secrets, too, so try not to expose too much. It could be hazardous. There is one warning you need to know about the Unseelie Court. Always treat them with neutral respect, but keep your voice stern. Show them that you won't let them step all over you. The moment they sense weakness, you're done. You can show indecision, but do not let them think you're weak," Jericho warned.

"Like how you were with those two spirits. Right," Robin nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. I'll let the others know, too. How did they get in here? I thought the defenses were up!"

"It's nightfall. Anything can get in, they just can't attack or hide. The defenses let me sense them the moment they showed up. It's the most you can ever hope for," he said. That made Robin pause and nod with complete understanding. "We are dealing with an evil so ancient it could have existed since the dawn of time. I won't ever try to possess a spirit of that Court. That would be stupid."

"You would become corrupted beyond repair," Ambrosia frowned. Jericho winced and moved to hug her tight. He had her rest her head on his shoulder, as he rocked her, and now he looked at Robin.

"As you can see, I can't leave her side," he frowned and swallowed. "As a first time father with no supporters and no one to care for her in my absence..."

"I see your point," Robin nodded. "Maybe I can have a few Titans here to help you out?"

"No," he said. "I will only trust myself with my wife. Maybe Starfire and your team, but you need them more than I do. I know how to care for my wife. You don't know how to care for your team with this new threat. Like I said before, I want to give you a few memories. It's risky. You could lose yourself for a while. You would need to remind yourself constantly that what you see is not your life. You may gain odd habits temporarily. Mine are...a bit more permanent now, but it's needed."

"Okay. How does this work?" Robin asked, as he sat down casually. Ambrosia was lifted so that she was now sitting in Jericho's lap.

"I'm not going to possess you. Think of it as a simple joining of the minds. You ever watch Star Trek?" Jericho grinned. "Think of it as a mind meld type of thing."

"Eh...never really saw it. I've heard of it!" Robin chuckled. "How long will this take?"

"No time at all. It will seem like a long time, but it really won't be. You will want to sleep after this. Just so you know. All right. Look in my eyes and focus. No matter what happens, don't stop until you know it's done," Jericho muttered. Robin now stared at his green eyes, and Jericho seemed to glare right back into Robin's masked white eyes. Something slammed into Robin, and he grimaced. He struggled to keep focus now. His body was shaking, and he started to sweat. A hard shove was felt as though to push him away, and he sank back with a gasp. The sensation that gripped him now was intense.

His entire body felt like he just got clobbered by a hundred guys, and he fought them all off one at a time. He ached and felt completely ill. Everything went fine, but one memory slipped through. It was not of Jericho's doing, as he had carefully sorted through which memories he wanted to duplicate, but something meddled in the dangerous link and managed to push through a very intimate memory. It would become a problematic issue later.

"He should go home, love," Ambrosia whispered. "And you need as much rest as I do."

"True!" Jericho hissed, as his body was feeling very much the same as Robin's now. "Don't heal us, love! We have to recover on our own!"

"I know. I have witnessed such a thing once before. I will help you get to bed," she smiled. "Robin, get Starfire to help you."

"Why...her...?" he struggled to talk.

"Because she is your life mate," she chuckled. That made him gape with shock. "It's only obvious. Isn't it? Let her help you."

"Star!" Robin managed to call out. At the sound of his voice, she flew up into the air.

"Robin!" she gasped and landed at his side. "What happened? What is wrong?!"

"I had to give him some memories. He needed them," Jericho winced. "We are both weakened. He needs to get home, and only you can help him. Spread the word that the meeting is over, please? I need to...get to bed..."

"Come, dear. Let's go," Ambrosia smiled softly and moved to let him lean on her.

"You can barely support me, much less I support you!" he grumbled.

"Then we will support each other," she smiled.

"I love you," he grinned and nuzzled her.

"And I love you, too, dear," she giggled softly. Robin and Starfire watched them make their way out carefully, and he sighed when he mustered his strength to talk.

"They have the right idea. Titans! If you need to leave, now is the time! If you stay, you have to stay through the daylight hours! Each of you can take a moon crystal, and it will help transport you back and forth from here. Just let it charge up in any moonlight that appears. Herald may have to help us charge them when the moon is in its shadow phase. Star?" Robin said, as he coughed and leaned on her.

"Robin! What happened?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Jericho...did a mind link with me..." Robin winced. "Only Star...can help me right now..."

"A mind link?!" Cyborg blinked.

"He can't leave...Ambrosia...so...he gave me some memories...to help you guys..." he grimaced. "I'm so weak...tired...feel beaten up. That speech...just now...drained me..."

"We are going home, Robin," Starfire frowned.

"Raven is staying here. As much as I wanna stay, I won't until you're better," Beast Boy said to Robin. "Cyborg? You coming?"

"Someone has to set up the defenses and ready the Tower for the crystals. I gotta go!" Cyborg nodded. "Maybe I can set up a cylinder chamber in my arm to rotate various moon crystals around. One goes out, another will be ready to use with a quick spin."

"Not bad..." Robin chuckled and coughed again. "Bed...now..."

Moon crystals were gathered and used to help get various Titans out of the castle. Those that wanted to make their residences more at home to their liking were able to stay and draw up a list of what they would want to decorate their new homes with. At the Tower, Starfire was easing Robin into his bed, and he was gasping for air. When she went to leave, he clung to her hand.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"Stay...please...!" he begged in a feverish way. She nodded and set up a chair to sit by his bedside. "No...don't sit. Rest with me...help me...please...!"

"Robin!" she blinked. At his shivering, she grimaced and lay down next to him. He pulled her close and cringed, as his body racked with pain. She hugged him tight and continued to hold him until sleep claimed his mind. As she fell asleep, she could only wonder what memories were coursing through his mind now that were giving him so much pain. Back in Ireland, Jericho was clinging to Ambrosia. He was having a hard time sleeping, and the pain was agonizing.

"Love," she sighed and pressed against him. "Talk to me."

"I gave Robin...practically all of the memories of Elvey," Jericho admitted.

"You could have killed him!" she frowned.

"It was needed. I gave him your memories of how to harvest the crystals and how to polish them. I gave him most of Aelfric's memories. Mainly the ones for strategy and how magic works."

"Will he be able to use Fae magic?"

"No. But, he'll know what to expect and what to look for. He could even...use the moon crystals for magic, too. My head is pounding!"

"Rest, love."

"I can't. I shouldn't rest until I know that everything will be well!"

"Darling," she soothed, and he gasped at the caress to his cheek. "Things will not be well, if you are not at peak physical health. You are drained. I will be here with you. Rest with me?"

"Rest...with you...I can do that..." he said, as he gave in. She kissed him passionately and rested her head on his chest. When he felt her breathing even out into sleep, he forced his eyes closed and relaxed. Sleep claimed him shortly after, and the hours passed swiftly.


	8. Chapter 8

When Robin woke up, it was nearing sunset, and he was starving. His headache was gone, but his body felt stiff. Starfire was still sleeping by him, and he smiled. He moved a strand of hair away from her face, and it woke her up. She saw him sitting up and looking much better.

"Robin? How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better," he smiled. "I'm really hungry, though. Starving, actually!"

"Then we shall feed you! Um, what memories did you acquire?" she asked, as she stood up to help him. He was a bit uneasy, as he stood, and she supported him.

"A lot. Star...um...thanks for being with me. I don't think I could have fallen asleep without you. I barely remember anything when we got back."

"You would not let me leave. You begged me to stay."

"I thought I did. But...well...thank you."

"There is no need to thank me, Robin. You needed me. So, I stayed to help you."

He would have said more, but his gut rumbled fiercely. She giggled at the sound and helped take him to the main room. Beast Boy was playing a game on the big screen and paused it when Robin was helped in. He jumped over to him, and Robin chuckled.

"Dude! Are you okay?" Beast Boy frowned.

"I will be after I eat something. What's Cyborg up to?" Robin asked, as he was eased into a chair. "I feel like I ran a marathon three times! It really hurts to move!"

"Here, Robin," Starfire said, and she started to set bowls of cereal and milk in front of him. He started to inhale the food quickly, as Beast Boy filled him in.

"Cyborg was busy making spots for the moon crystals to protect the Tower. Raven hasn't contacted us yet. It's really all I know. No one else has contacted us, either," he said.

"Odd," Robin thought aloud, as he pulled up another bowl of cereal to consume. "But, it's okay. I need to recover, anyways. I have never been this hungry before!"

"Dude, what happened to you?" he asked.

"Jericho had to give me some memories. Over five hundred years' worth of memories. Most of them are battle tactics, strategies, various ways to handle the Unseelie Court...it's all very in-depth," Robin frowned. "And he warned me to remember that these memories aren't mine. I may act strangely from time to time. You guys will have to remind me of who I am. He said it was risky. I can see why."

"But why you?" Beast Boy frowned.

"I'm the leader of the Titans. The memories he gave me were about being a better tactician. Making better decisions. More confidence in my actions. Things that I need to know that I never would have thought of on my own. I'm only going to use these memories as a guideline. If I try to think of them as anything else, well, that would be harmful. Not only to you guys, but to my health," he sighed.

"Okay. Weird. Anyways, um, Star, where were you last night? When we got back?" Beast Boy frowned. "Silkie ended up sleeping with me last night."

"Oh...well, Robin needed my help. So, I was with Robin," she said with a soft shrug.

"You slept with Robin?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Just sleeping, Beast Boy," Robin sighed. "It was important. I was told that only she would be able to help me. That no one else could. If she wasn't there, I don't think I would have survived the night on my own. It was brutal."

"It was nice to share Robin's personal space," she said with a soft blush. He blushed hard and refocused on eating when Cyborg walked in. He got himself some cereal to eat, and he looked at Robin funny. Starfire waved at him with a grin on her face.

"You're eating more than me," Cyborg said, as he eyed the mountain of empty cereal bowls.

"Yeah, I know. Side effect from the mind link," Robin sighed, as he finally pushed away the tenth empty cereal bowl. "I think I'm good now."

"Any word from Raven?" Cyborg asked, as he started eating.

"No. Nothing from the others, either," Beast Boy said. "Jericho looked pretty beat up, too."

"He was, wasn't he?" Robin sighed and took out the communicator. Jericho was still sleeping deeply when it went off, and Ambrosia answered it. She had changed into a soft, blue nightgown. She was up the moment she started to feel restless from her pregnancy and was doing some mild cleaning of her jewelry. The dream she had during the night didn't help, either, and she really didn't want to remember it. She had reached over her husband's body to get the communicator and flipped it open.

"Robin? Oh! Are you feeling better? Jericho still sleeps," she said, as she sat up fully in the bed.

"I woke up with an appetite that rivaled Cyborg's!" Robin chuckled.

"Starfire was able to help you?" she smiled.

"Yes. She helped greatly," he nodded.

"I am relieved. Your body is still sore?"

"Very. I know I'll be fine later."

"You will need to eat heavy meats throughout the day, or you will need Fae honey. Either food will help sustain you. Your body will crave it later. You should be fine after several hours. But, expect to eat every hour on the hour. Do not be far from any form of nourishment!" she warned. "I should have told you last night, but I needed to get Jericho to bed."

"Okay. Good to know. When Jericho wakes up, have him call me. I have some questions for him. Is that All right?"

"Of course, Robin," she smiled and nodded. Then Jericho groaned, as he blinked awake and saw the communicator. "Ah. He just woke up..."

"Love, get me something to eat and I'll talk to Robin," he muttered, as he sat up now. She conjured up a jar of concentrated Fae honey and let him get the finger full he needed to satisfy his voracious appetite. A sigh of relief was given, a kiss to her lips was next, and the communicator was picked up. "Robin. I trust you slept and ate?"

"Yes, I did," Robin grinned, as he sat back in his seat. "I haven't heard from anyone yet."

"You won't. Not until an hour from now. Most of them are sleeping, from what I can sense. It's daylight here and turning night-time where you are, so nothing from the Unseelie Court on this end. How much do you remember? What can you recall?" Jericho asked.

"Ah...a lot. I'll need to start putting some of it to good use, too," he nodded.

"Good. We'll have to...Ambrosia! Not again!" Jericho winced, as the sound of her retching was heard in the background. "I gotta go!"

"Call me back later," Robin nodded. The communicator line went dead, and he sighed.

"Wow," Beast Boy chuckled. "Rough kid!"

"I know," Robin sighed. "It's why he gave me the memories. He can't leave her side."

"I can see why," Cyborg nodded and went to get more food. "You ate all the cereal!"

"Sorry," Robin grinned and shrugged. "Anyways, I'm going up to the roof. I need to check out the landscape now. See if there's any good positions for moon crystals and such."

"I could bring up a hologram," Cyborg said.

"I need to see for my own eyes. And that reminds me, I want to go to the place the grove was at. I know it's gone now, but I can detect things that I couldn't before. Call it a hunch," Robin said.

"Should I go with you?" Starfire asked.

"Always," he grinned. That made Cyborg blink, and Beast Boy seemed to grin. Now he thought and seemed to pale. He looked at the communicator and called back Jericho. It took a bit to answer, but Jericho was there to receive the call.

"Robin. I was about to call you back. What is it?" he asked.

"The Unseelie Court. Will they try to gain recruits?!" Robin asked quickly.

"Um...it's possible. As long as they don't know who to recruit. They aren't mind readers, but they can research very well. Wait a minute! You don't think..." he paled now.

"Cyborg!" Robin said quickly. "Anything we have on our enemy database must be encrypted! Now! Anything in the evidence room that we have has to be secured with moon crystals! I know how to set up the defenses, but you have to place them!"

"What did you find out?" Cyborg frowned.

"There were a lot of...friends...that we froze up," Robin said carefully. "We don't want them to thaw or reclaim various weapons, right? What do you think?"

"No...way..." Beast Boy frowned.

"They agreed not to do anything for two months. It's a good thing you thought of this now," Jericho said. "What made you think of it?"

"I was recalling what the Unseelie Court would do to help 'test' others. The memories you gave me are quite valuable," Robin grinned. "Starfire, is your sister still...contained?"

"Blackfire? Oh. I think so," she thought.

"We'll need to find out and make sure," Robin sighed.

"What do you mean?" Cyborg frowned.

"Well, the Unseelie Court may try to make their own 'alliances' with our enemies," he said.

"You have got to be kidding!" Beast Boy gaped.

"No. He's not," Jericho nodded. "If any of them still exist, they could become part of the tests."

"Oh, boy," Cyborg muttered. "This could be fun."

"We'll need to beef up our defenses and harvest as many large moon crystals that we can," Robin frowned. "Jericho was right about one thing. We may not be able to stop them from appearing at night, but we will be able to detect them and keep them from attacking unfairly."

"Exactly," Jericho nodded. "Ambrosia? Okay! Okay, love! I have to feed her. I'll have Raven contact you when she's able to. We all have a lot of work to do now."

"That we do. I'll talk to you again soon," Robin said. When the connection went dead, Jericho looked at Ambrosia with worry.

"Love, you were awake before me. Was something wrong?" he asked, as he fed her a finger-full of the concentrated Fae honey.

"No. Just restless from our son," she smiled and took in the nourishment.

"Is that so?" he smiled and pulled her close to kiss gently. "Hmm. I keep getting that feeling that you're not telling me something. What is it?"

"Well..." she frowned, and now he narrowed his eyes.

"Tell me, dearest. Let me protect you," he urged.

"Last night, I dreamt something...bad," she said. At his intense gaze, she shivered and continued, "I was standing in darkness. Sinlus was in front of me. He was pointing at my belly, and he kept saying that he was going to become my son. He was actually...able to touch me...and..."

"Keep. Going," Jericho growled and tensed.

"Aelfric appeared before me and drove him off. He was screaming that he was my son right now, and that I could not be touched by any while he was in my belly. Sinlus...admitted his current defeat, but he vowed to be ready when the next child was to be made," she trembled and got crushed to his chest. "Aelfric is able to keep his memories of me until he is born. Once he is born, his memories will be gone, and his soul will be within our son. He told me this. He promised to protect me with everything he had until such a time happened."

"At least he can protect you in sleep, and I can protect you when you're awake," he frowned. "But, only until he is born. We need to set up more protective measures for you. I don't want to call Robin again, but I have to."

"He needs to know," she nodded. Once again, the communicator was grabbed.

"Jericho?" Robin frowned. "I just talked to you."

"This is important," Jericho growled. "Sinlus reached my wife in her dreams. Aelfric's soul drove him off. He's waiting in the background."

"The Unseelie Court said that he wasn't free! That he wanted to be free!" Robin argued.

"I know. This means that he just messed up and proved that the Unseelie Court isn't playing fair. You know what this means. Right?" Jericho grinned wickedly.

"We don't have to, either," Robin grinned back.

"Talk to you later," Jericho smirked. Robin was clearly amused now, as he sat back in the seat.

"Cyborg," Robin said with a grin.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I know of a way to keep us safe while we sleep. It's only temporary until the crystals are harvested, though. Ready for this?" Robin asked.

"All ears!" he grinned.

"Get a piece of clothing and turn it inside out. Keep it around where you sleep. All of us need to do this. For some reason, it keeps creatures of the mystic realms away. Something about it being unclean. Something along those lines. It may make my skin crawl for a bit, but I'll get used to it, since it's all memories. So, if we can relay this to the other Titans, it will help buy us some time until proper defensive measures can be done. Spread the word?" he asked.

"I'm on it!" Cyborg said and got up. "Inside out clothing? Weird!"

"Clothing is that powerful?" Starfire asked.

"To an extent, yeah. We can also use a crust of bread, but I don't want crumbs in my bed," Robin chuckled. "Beast Boy might mistake it as a midnight snack."

"No, I wouldn't! Well...okay...maybe if I change into something while I sleep. Dang it...!" Beast Boy grumbled with defeat. "You all know me too well! No fair!"

Robin grinned and blinked at the communicator. On answering it, he saw Raven.

"Robin. Good to see you. Jinx's robe opened up to her when she accepted it as being alive. Herald has a robe that has accepted him. Everything is going good. Do you plan to go back to that place where the grove was today?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

"Take a moon crystal and crush it up. Uncharged, mind you. I did a bit more research on that rune. If you sprinkle the dust you make over the spot where it was..."

"It will make that grove come back temporarily!" he finished for her. "It will reactivate the powers that used to be there! Brilliant!"

"Um...yeah. How did you know?!" Raven blinked. Robin told her about the mind link Jericho did with him and now she glowered. "That was a stupid thing to do! You could have died!"

"Starfire helped me," he said.

"She...oh. Well then, it's okay," she shrugged. "You know what that means, right?"

"I know what it means," Robin admitted. "I'll do something about it soon."

"Something about what soon, Robin?" Starfire asked, as the connection was closed.

"You'll find out when the time is right. I promise," he grinned at her. Beast Boy frowned at this, but would have to see what they were talking about when the time came. "Right now, I need an uncharged moon crystal, and we need to get to that spot in the forest. Anything going on in the city?"

"It's been pretty quiet," Beast Boy shrugged. A small, green moon crystal was found, and Robin placed it in his pocket for later use.

"Okay, then. Let's go!" Robin said. As they started to leave, Robin mused over a few of the memories when he made his way to his motorcycle. Then he paused at one memory in particular. It was a very specific memory of Aelfric and Ambrosia. _It was incomplete._  That meant that he wasn't supposed to have received it, but he did. It was the memory that slipped through when he got the duplicates from Jericho. He had a heavy frown on his face, as he drove his bike out. The pain he felt in it was so real that he was grimacing. He muttered to himself and took a deep breath.

"Robin? Are you feeling okay?" Starfire asked, as she flew next to him.

"I have to remember that these memories aren't mine," Robin grimaced. "But...this one was...really, really bad. Why would she do that to him?!"

"Do what?" she asked and continued to fly with him. Beast Boy had already flown ahead from the excitement. Robin stopped the bike on the side of the road and sighed.

"I'll catch up with you two. I really need to ask Ambrosia something. I promise, it's nothing serious," he said. Starfire frowned and looked hurt. "It's an incomplete memory. She knows more about it than I do. She hurt Aelfric, and I need to know why."

"You are not Aelfric! You are Robin! Just...remember that. For me," she sighed.

"I know," he smiled and actually pulled her close to hug her tight. "You are really important to me, Star. You are my best friend, and you're someone special. I will never forget that."

"Okay. I will see you in the forest!" she nodded and flew off feeling better. He took out the communicator and called Jericho. With a stroke of luck, Ambrosia answered it.

"Robin?" she frowned. "Is everything all right?"

"Not really," he frowned. "Ambrosia, where is Jericho right now?"

"He is setting bath water. It will take some time before he can talk to you. Why?"

"Good. I actually need to talk to you. Neither of us have much time right now, so I'm going to get right to the point. Jericho gave me a memory I probably shouldn't have gotten since it was cut in half. Maybe not half, but it's incomplete. You slapped Aelfric. Why?"

"Oh!" she gasped and rose a dainty hand to her mouth. "Yes. Okay. It was when we were first announced to be betrothed. He wanted to see me, remember? It was the very first time we met. We were both fourteen, so we were very young. Here is what happened. I was playing my harp in one of the gardens around the castle, and he approached me. He declared I was the loveliest thing he had ever seen in his life, and that I was to be his betrothed. I didn't know who he truly was at the time.

"I only knew that I was betrothed to someone that was well-loved and kind, but he did not come off that way to me. At first, that is. He appeared to me as someone arrogant and full of spite. He...tried to kiss me right away, and I slapped him. I told him I was not something that could be easily swayed by affection alone, and that I had to be proven to. I told him that I would refuse anyone that only saw my beauty and not who I truly was. After I slapped him and scolded him...it made him see reason. He stayed away for a week to think things through. When he approached again, he apologized and wanted to start over. That was when our true bond developed. That was when our love blossomed."

"I see now," Robin sighed. "He saw only your beauty at first and not for who you were."

"Yes," she nodded. "It is...also why he never kissed me and was waiting for my wedding day."

"Thank you for clarifying that," he said.

"Of course, Robin," she smiled. "Oh! Jericho is calling for me!"

"Go to him. We'll talk again soon," he smiled back. The connection was cut, and he pocketed the communicator. Now that she told him everything in full, the memory was revealed to him with exceptionally sharp clarity.  _The arrogant declaration of love. The haughty attempt at a kiss. The mind-numbing slap of her hand striking across the cheek to protect her virtue. Her cruel, yet valiant words of reason as she fought for her dignity._  He grimaced.  _The slap was justified._  He sighed and muttered, "Aelfric, you really were a moron! Idiot! But...he was also young. Like me. Okay. I am Robin. I am the leader of the Titans. I am not a prince of the Fae! I'm a human! This is going to be harder than I thought! Okay. Deep breath. Refocus. The forest. Get there to meet up with Starfire and Beast Boy."

He started down the path to the forest again, and now his mind was comparing fights that he had before in the past to the massive battles that Elvey fought to protect his kingdom. He stopped the motorcycle again at his memory of his battle with the hardened enemy, Slade. The man tricked him into becoming his apprentice once and Robin escaped him. Now his wizened mind replayed through every battle he ever fought with the man and was working furiously.  _It was possible that the Unseelie Court would make me fight this man again._

_He was dangerous. He was critical in everything._  But, there was one thing that baffled him.  _The man may have never quit, but why constantly beat himself up over gaining me to be him?_  He would have to think it through even more.  _Yes, he and I were very much alike, yet, we were also very different. What was the catch?_ He was building an empire for Robin to rule at first.  _Why?_  To continue in his footsteps.  _Why?!_  He would need to find out, but now was not the time. He looked up to find Starfire flying over to him with worry. _Okay, think up something else about Slade._ Then he figured out something else. Slade was...funny to him now!

"Robin! We waited for you!" Starfire frowned, as she hovered over him. "Are you...Robin?"

"Yes. Just thinking over an old battle with Slade," he admitted. Then he chuckled.

"Oh! You may fight him?" she asked with a worried tone.

"It's possible. But, I have one thing up my sleeve that he doesn't have. I have experience. Over five hundred years' worth of experience. I know I'll be okay," he grinned. "I...just realized how...funny it all was. I know, I shouldn't laugh at someone like him, but I honestly think I might. Right in his face!"

"Laugh?! At Slade?!" she blinked.

"His approaches to me were bad before. Calculating and sneaky. Manipulative most of the time, and, yeah, ingenious in various ways. Even how I reacted to them before were bad. Straight forward and arrogant. Self-centered and forceful. Now...I just find them amusing," he grinned again and shrugged. "Anyways, we'll worry about that if it happens. Let's get to the area the grove was at."

Starfire was gaping at this new change in him.  _Laughing at an old battle that caused him pain?! To laugh in the face of a powerful enemy?!_   _How could he say such a thing and mean it?_

Robin could only reflect in his own thoughts as to why he would think such a thing was funny, but the reason was actually quite simple.  _Elvey was known to laugh at danger. He found the confusion and frustration on his enemies' faces completely amusing, and that was how he made them weak. Even the sound of confusion in their voices made him laugh to tears as he fought in battle! He forced them into thinking that something was wrong with their strategy. Then he crushed them with everything he had while they replayed their plans in their heads. He distracted them with thoughts of dismay and indecision. This was why his enemies cringed at the very sound of his name on the fields of battle. Elvey's name to his enemies was known as the Laughing Battle Mage._

Robin was going to use this tactic in most of his battles from now on. He was still giggling with certain things he remembered that Slade did. Usually, he would be distraught, upset, and fretting over how he was going to beat the man. Every time the one-eyed masked man vanished, or was presumed dead, he miraculously came back to life to torment the Titans. Now, Robin was going to be the one waiting for him. He wanted to show Slade that he was nothing compared to what he was now. He was going to mock Slade and thoroughly enjoy the torment. He may even decide not to fight him just to piss him off.  _The man deserved every bit of it and would have no idea what he was in store for._

He pushed the thought back in his mind and refocused on the spot the grove was. Beast Boy was already waiting with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Dude! What took so long?!" he demanded.

"Sorry. Various old memories came up, and I had to think about them. But, I'm here. Let me crush up the moon crystal, and we'll see what we can find out," Robin said, as he took out the uncharged, green moon crystal. Starfire was still confused over Robin's new personality, but he did warn her that he would have lingering side-effects.  _This had to be one of them._

"Beast Boy," Starfire whispered to him. "Robin...was laughing about Slade!"

"Wait, what?" he asked.

"Yes! He said he was going to laugh at Slade if they fought!" she frowned.

"Laugh? At Slade?! Dude, are you serious?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Why not?" Robin grinned. "Elvey's memories showed that laughter can cause havoc to an enemy. I'm going to try it, if I have to face him. I may even try it if we have to fight crime!"

"Elvey? Who's Elvey?" he asked.

"Oh, right. Elvey was Aelfric's father," Robin grinned and crushed the moon stone with expert precision. Starfire and Beast Boy stared at him curiously. "Remember, guys. I was given a lot of old memories. I may act strange from time to time, but I'm still me."

"Are you Robin right now?" Starfire frowned. He sighed and shook his head.

"Yes, Star. I am," he said confidently.

"I hope so," Beast Boy frowned now. "I'm keeping an eye on you!"

"I'm sure you will," Robin muttered, as he sprinkled the powder over where the rune was. The grove came back with a quick shifting of the earth. At first, the grove caught him by surprise at how peaceful and serene it still felt. Even Starfire was awed by it. It was as though the curse was back in effect, and he realized why Ambrosia was lured to this spot. When he saw it before, it was just a pleasant grove. Most of the feelings of calming serenity were gone. He refocused and remembered why he was there. He had to act quickly before the magic wore off. The burned stump stood before him, and now he examined it closely. He plucked a shard of ash from it and sealed it away in a vial. He did the same with the mossy ground, the stream water, and any flowers that bloomed.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Starfire asked.

"I'm gathering up any residual magical energy," he said. "The more I get from various things, the more we'll understand Sinlus's power. Elvey's memories show that each member of the Unseelie Court has a distinct energy pattern in their magic. We find out his energy pattern, we can charge up the crystals protecting the Towers with the command to 'block' this type of pattern."

"So, it would be possible to completely ward off his attack?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yes. To an extent, that is. The crystals would need to 'taste' this magic. Almost like how your bloodhound form can smell things. The crystals will not allow anything in with this type of smell," Robin nodded. "I may not be able to use old magic, but I now understand how it works. This will be our defense system. The more members of the Court that appear and leave things for us to find, the more 'smells' we can have the crystals block out. I know that there are hundreds of thousands of spirits that make up the Court, but every little bit counts.

"This is something that Jericho would have done if he was here with us. We'll need to come back here during the day to do the same thing. The pattern could be different, if the grove was hiding during the day. As it is, the moon crystals will at least help us detect the Unseelie Court members if they appear. This will help us even more by forcing them to appear before coming into any building. They would need our permission to come onto our turf, and they can't appear unannounced or uninvited."

"You really did get a lot of memories. Didn't you?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Tons," Robin sighed. "I'm trying to be a better leader and defender of the Titans. We don't know what we're up against. Now that I have a good idea, I'm better prepared. We'll come back here during the day and harvest more samples. I'll need to crush another moon crystal, but it needs to be done. The next few days after that, we need to see to harvesting them. I can show you all how to do that now."

"Okay, Robin," Starfire nodded. "I trust you. I will follow you."

"Thank you, Star," he smiled genuinely. "I know I seem strange to everyone right now. It  _will_  pass. It's just a lot to process. Give it time. Please."

"Oh, what did Ambrosia say about you needing to eat again? And when?" Beast Boy asked, as he blinked at a thought with a bit of surprise.

"Every hour on the hour. Heavy meat or something with lots of protein. Why?" Robin frowned.

"Your hour is almost up," Beast Boy said and tossed him a burger. "Eat that. It's a tofu burger. It's one of my emergency rations when we're on the road. Don't complain! Just do it! It will keep you going until we get back."

"How did you...?" Robin blinked, as he unwrapped it.

"Ambrosia warned me. Just now," he said. "She and I have this bond now. Since she became Queen. It's crazy! She can reach me from places. It's weird. I was told by Jericho to just accept it, and I did. Since I broke the first part of her curse, it's like a privilege I gained. Normally, she can't talk to humans like this. Only animals. Since I can change into a human and an animal, it kinda...bridges something. I think. Whatever. Anyways, she told me to have you eat that."

"Can you talk to her from anywhere?" Starfire asked.

"No. I can't talk to her, or contact her. She can contact me, but it drains her. She only wants to do this for emergencies like this, since she was a bit concerned about Robin's health from the mind link thingy. I was a bit surprised when it happened just now! But, this is important," Beast Boy sighed. Robin nodded and actually found himself devouring the tofu burger. He didn't even taste it when it was inhaled.  _It wasn't enough._

"We need to get back," Robin grimaced. "You're right, Beast Boy. It won't hold me for long."

"Okay," Beast Boy said and became a falcon to soar off. Robin got back on his motorcycle, and Starfire hovered over him while they moved back to the Tower. Back in Ireland, Ambrosia was dressed in a light, airy purple gown. Jericho was dressed in his usual clothes, but he kept the cape-like cloak, since it grew on him, and he was walking along a hallway with her. He just had some Fae honey to keep his hunger down, and he was watching her with concern.

"I got ahold of Beast Boy, and we were lucky that he had a tofu burger for Robin," she smiled.

"Good. Darling, I noticed that you were...distraught in our bath," he said.

"I was waiting for you to bring it up," she sighed and leaned into his arm. "Robin contacted me, as you were preparing it. You let a memory slip to him. A partial one. Of me slapping Aelfric. He wanted to know what it was about."

"You slapping...oh. That one," he frowned. "It was justified. You were defending yourself."

"I know. He knows now, too," she nodded.

"But, why did that one reach him?" he frowned in thought now. "I made sure no other memories could get past the ones I specifically selected! This could be bad, love."

"Possibly. But, you are at my side, right?" she smiled. He grimaced and knew that he would punch out his friend if he tried anything. _Ambrosia is my wife. She is carrying my son. Robin knew this and would likely have to constantly remind himself._ Now he was very concerned.

"Are you hungry, darling?" he asked, as he changed the subject of his thoughts back to her.

"I am," she nodded. He brought out the jar of Fae honey and gave her a small taste. It was enough to help her keep her strength up. She touched his throat again, and he coughed. Her crown gave the soft, yet rather strong, blue glow of successful healing, and he grimaced.

"Don't do that!" he growled, as his voice got stronger.

"Don't argue with me!" she growled back. "Your voice is almost back now. Two more touches and it's done. You know this as well as I do."

"You put so much power into that touch! Just...limit it to once a day?" he frowned.

"Very well," she nodded. He squeezed her, and they looked over a railing. Many of the Titans had to leave, but the few that stayed were enjoying the short time off. They would likely be doing this in small shifts to keep their cities safe. Jericho's mind kept going back to the memory that was slipped to Robin. He had a foreboding feeling, and he hated it. She leaned into his side, and his arm tightened securely around her.  _She is my wife and the mother of my growing child. I won't let anyone forget it!_  When the communicator went off, he actually paused before answering it. He wanted to throw it away with disgust. Then he remembered his alliance.  _I can't do that. I'm also a Titan._  He frowned, but he answered it grimly. He already knew who it was.

"Robin," he said carefully in his nearly healed voice.

"Jericho," Robin sighed. "I'm...guessing she told you."

"She did. Don't think for a second that, while I value our friendship, I won't punch you in the face if you try anything," he warned. "Now, what did you find out?"

"Right," Robin said, as he cleared his throat from the threat. "I got samples of the residual magic from where the grove was. We'll go back there during the day to collect more. Cyborg is analyzing it and processing it now. The moon is starting to get weak on my side of the world, so we have to chart where we are going to harvest more crystals."

"And we can't have Herald do it, since the moon has to shine on the designated spot all night until early morning. We don't want to exhaust him," Jericho thought. "We could have him strengthen the crystals after they are harvested, though. That would be needed."

"What about sun crystals? Should we have some as a precaution?" he asked.

"That's not a bad idea," Jericho mused. "When the Unseelie Court is ready to test us, we can have a specialized arena. If any of them try to help, they get blasted with sunlight. What do you think?"

"We'll definitely work that in," Robin grinned. "All of the new Towers being built are getting spot checked for future crystals to be placed in. From what I can gather, we need over a thousand giant crystals in all. It's going to be tedious."

"It will," Jericho sighed. "I can harvest what I can when the moon comes back to me around the hill. Ambrosia can help, too. It shouldn't have even been here on my wedding night, but it was part of the curse. It had to appear for us. It's pretty much back to a normal rotation now, come to think of it."

"Can't she conjure up moon crystals?" Beast Boy asked over Robin's shoulder.

"It's possible, but remember," Jericho warned. "It costs her strength to do things like that. She's already healing my throat and her legs. If she strains herself too much, she could hurt my son and herself. She can probably conjure up a few here and there. But, I won't let her strain herself."

"Emergency backup, if we're a few off," Robin nodded.

"Exactly," Jericho nodded. "Ambrosia was thinking of holding a gala soon. Likely when my son is starting to show. That could be in two weeks."

"You know we'll be there," Robin nodded. "I'll start up a treaty of alliance, too. To make it official. We can have it at the gala, and, for those that want to be part of our alliance, they can sign it."

"That would be wonderful!" Ambrosia smiled.

"Only Elvey could think of that," Jericho chuckled. "Okay, so, what is our next course of action? You have a general idea?"

"When daylight hits here, I go with my team back to the grove for more residual magic. After that, we harvest crystals like crazy," Robin said. "The guys are going to hate me with how early they'll need to get up. I hope they forgive me."

"How early we talking about?" Cyborg asked.

"An hour before dawn. The moment the sun hits the horizon and the moon is still showing. That is when the dew forms. That is what makes our crystals. We have to carefully collect the drops and gather enough so that they form six inches around in full with no gaps in the drops. It doesn't matter how thin they are, but it needs to be a solid mass. They need to be exposed to the moon after we make them in that window of time. It will be the only time to do it before they evaporate. Kid Flash and Mas y Menos will be important, since they will be the only ones fast enough to collect what we need in time," Robin frowned. "We'll be pushing them to the limit each morning, but they can sleep when it's done."

"I'll have to make special platforms and holders," Cyborg thought. "Use materials that won't let the dew evaporate so quickly to buy us more time."

"It's a shame that we don't have any mithril," Jericho grumbled. "That would be perfect."

"Mithril? What's that?" Beast Boy asked. "I think I've heard of it in games. But...it really exists?! Um...what is it to you?"

"Mithril is a legendary silver metal that is flexible, strong, and reflects back magic, as well as contains it," Ambrosia said. "It's incredibly rare and only really powerful Fae have access to it. It's...practically unheard of now. The only way it is made is if silver grows on special quartz and diamond crystals in a natural formation under the moon. It can take a whole millennia for one mithril lump to form. The crystals, themselves, are highly prized, as they are a major focus point for magical properties. They can amplify a magical effect by a tenfold. I could try to conjure some up, but it would drain me greatly. In a sense, I would prefer not to."

"Wow," Cyborg frowned. "I don't think I can make something that generates time in seconds!"

"No one can. And we are on a time limit, as it is," Robin muttered. "I need to get some sleep. I'll make sure I have plenty of food on hand every time I get up. Hopefully, by the time it becomes daylight here, I'll be able to function better."

"You will," Jericho smirked. "Get some rest and eat well. I'll talk to you soon enough."

"Same," Robin nodded and closed the connection. "Star, I'm going to need your help again."

"Oh? What for, Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"I can't sleep without you. Um...I know it's a bit...weird...but..."

"Robin, if you need me, I will help you," she smiled. "You know that."

"Okay. Guys? If you're tired, sleep now. I mean it," Robin said.

"Sure, sure," Cyborg grinned. "I'll research what I can about that mithril stuff, and I'll see about making holding devices for the dew. What kind of food will you need?"

"Heavy meat or tofu at this point," Robin frowned.

"What would you prefer? It's gotta be meat, right?!" Cyborg grinned.

"No! It's tofu!" Beat Boy argued.

"I think I gotta go with Cyborg on this one," Robin admitted. "I need something really dense and heavy. The tofu burger I ate before just barely cut it. Even though it was only one, it won't do the job. I'm sorry Beast Boy, but I'm going to need steak. A lot of it."

"Ugh! Fine! I know it's for your body and all...but...dang it!" Beast Boy grumbled. "I'll be in my room! Oh, wait! I still have that game on pause!"

"I finished your game. You died," Cyborg grinned.

"NOOOOO!" Beast Boy shouted with despair.

"I'm kidding! It's still on pause! Geez, BB! Get ahold of yourself!" Cyborg sighed. Beast Boy made a monkey-like squeal of joy and jumped back over to the giant screen to turn it back on and play. As the green Titan started up his game play, Cyborg set various meats in front of Robin to eat with a child-like joy. Starfire made sure every plate was cleaned before helping Robin get back to his room.

"Tell Cyborg to have more of it ready for me in an hour. Or at least when I get up," Robin sighed, as he lay back in the bed. "I know I'm going to need it the moment my eyes open."

"Okay," she nodded.

"When you get back...um...lay down with me? Please?" he asked.

"Okay," she smiled softly. "Robin, ah..."

"Yes?" he asked, as he looked over at her.

"Why do you need me to lay down with you all the time now?" she asked. He grimaced and sighed, as he tried to figure out the easiest way to put it.

"Because you are someone special to me," he started gently. "You are the only one that can help me 'be myself' now. With all of these memories running through my head...you're my focus. Without you...I'm lost. You have no idea how badly I..."

"What, Robin?" she asked, as she sat on his bedside. He placed a hand over hers and sighed.

"I can't put it into words right now. When I know my body is well, I'll be able to talk more clearly. Will you...trust me in this, Star?"

"I trust you, Robin," she beamed at him and patted his hand. "I will speak with Cyborg about your eating needs. Then I will return to you and help you sleep."

"Thanks," he smiled softly. When she pressed a kiss to his forehead, he let out another heavy sigh.  _Life mate._   _That's who she is to me. Ambrosia hit it right on the nose._ When Starfire left, he winced. _Ambrosia._ He was forced to recall how lovely she was from Aelfric's memory from seeing her the first time.  _She was only fourteen at that age? It was impossible! She was already a blooming young woman! Her face and form were perfection in that gown of silvery green. The way she sang with the harp was..._

"I am back, Robin," Starfire smiled and lay down next to him. He had no idea how fast time zipped by when he thought of that memory, and he cringed with shock.

"Thank you!" he shivered and hugged her tight. "I was...losing myself again..."

"Robin!" she cringed and hugged him tight. "I will not let you lose your mind!"

"Please don't, Star! Please...help me be me...!" he gasped. "Help me remember...who I am...!"

"You should not have these memories if they are hurting you, Robin!" Starfire whimpered.

"But, I do need them..." he gasped again and rested his head against her arm. "I do need them...to be better at protecting everyone..."

"Despite the risks, Robin? Despite the danger?"

"Yes. Despite all of that. I just...if I don't have them, we know nothing of the Unseelie Court. Jericho can't help us the way he wants to! And Ambrosia...none of this was her fault. She blamed herself for so long..."

"How do you know?"

"I just do," he frowned. "She hurts so much now. The memory I told you about that I needed to talk to her about...well..."

"Tell me of this memory?" she asked. He nodded and told her what it was all about. Starfire was in shock that she slapped Aelfric, but then nodded when she realized why it had to be done. "She protected herself from him. It...does make sense."

"I know. I shouldn't have gotten that memory, Star. But I did. I see Ambrosia and Jericho as valued allies and members of the Titans. They are husband and wife. They're going to have a kid soon. In less than three months, if that! Jericho said that giving me these memories was risky. He warned me. I know he made sure that I got all of the ones I knew I would need...but this one memory...I shouldn't have gotten it! It's too personal!"

"It was Aelfric's first meeting of Ambrosia, was it not?"

"It was. I don't know why I got this memory. I actually felt the sting of her slap..."

"Robin! The memory is not yours!" she said sternly. He trembled and nodded.

"It's not mine," he said with a heavy sigh. "It's not mine..."

"No. It's not yours. You are Robin. My Robin."

"Your Robin?" he whispered. At her smile and soft nod, he kissed her hard.  _She will bring balance to my thoughts and bring me back to the present all the time now. I need her at my side._  He grimaced, as his head ached, but he was comforted by her.  _All of this was mental stress now. I need to sleep._ He knew he would be extremely hungry when he woke up, but he knew she would help him.  _She wasn't going to leave my side._ Knowing this, and feeling her next to him, was all he needed to finally fall into a rather deep sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Back in Ireland, Raven was waiting for day to turn into night. Something felt wrong. Ever since she learned that Robin gained duplicate memories from Jericho, something didn't feel right.  _I have to talk to him now._ Getting up from where she sat in the library, her black robe had become the favorite blue she always wore. It would change back to black when battle was around them. For now, it wanted her to feel comfortable. It already felt like an old friend to her, and she appreciated everything it was doing for her. She walked silently through the massive halls and walkways. Each wall of the library was carved with Fae literature. It was all detailed history of the castle and how it was built. The robe she wore taught her the language of the Fae and translated everything for her.

It was a stunning sensation to her.  _There was so much knowledge that I never knew existed._ The more she grew in power, the more the robe opened up to her. When she learned the name of her robe, it was able to whisper into her mind and even give simple visions of what it knew. It no longer really needed to give her sensations. It was able to speak with her mentally, and it was incredibly old and very wise. It was actually older than the two robes given to Jinx and Herald. It was one of the oldest ones in existence, and none of Ambrosia's brothers or sisters could wear it, since it never found any of them worthy. When Raven put on the robe, it felt a kinship unlike anything else. It knew it was made for her and would only belong to her from this point forward.

She approached the royal bedroom and sighed. She knocked on the door and heard soft whispers with hurried movements of dressing. When the door opened, Raven was a touch in awe of the rich splendor of the room. Ambrosia was now sitting in the bed with her large, silver robe over her features. Jericho had answered the door in his own silver robe.

"Raven? What can I help you with?" he asked.

"You gave Robin memories," she frowned. "I feel something is wrong."

"Ah. Yes. Come in. There's a chair you can sit in along the wall," he sighed. She was surprised at how fast his voice was recovering. _It was starting to gain a deep, noble ring to it._

"You sound good," she mused.

"Thanks. Ambrosia has been helping it along. As much as she shouldn't!" he muttered. Ambrosia made a face at him on the bed, and he made a mocking growl at her. She blushed, and he had to remember that they had a guest. "Anyways, this is what happened..."

He explained how the mind link worked and the risks involved. Then he told her of the single memory Robin got, and that made Raven blink.

"That's what I feel is wrong, then," she said. "He shouldn't have gotten that memory. Jericho, I need to test something. Your mind link may have been tampered with."

"You can't be serious!" he gaped.

"It would be the only way that memory would have slipped," Raven frowned. "I've been doing a lot of research on Fae magic now. Something happened. I need to check."

"Let her, dear," Ambrosia said gently. "We must know."

"Very well," Jericho nodded. He looked at Raven and sighed with a nod. She touched his forehead and focused. Then she drew back her hand with a grimace.

"I was right. Your mind link was tampered with. Ambrosia, did Sinlus approach you at all?" Raven asked. "Did he try?"

"Yes! He did! In my dreams!" she gasped.

"It was Sinlus?!" Jericho snarled out.

"Yes, it was," Raven frowned heavily. "He saw the opportunity and took it. He couldn't do much, but that one memory slip would have been enough to severe you from us. Robin  _might_  try something, but it won't be his fault. You know he is a good guy."

"I know he is. And I know he's been affected by the memory," Jericho sighed. "I won't let Sinlus get the best of this! If Robin tries something with my wife, I will punch him, though."

"That's expected. But, once it's done, it won't happen again. It may actually fix a lot of his problems with his memories. It could speed up his mental healing process," Raven grinned.

"You mean, I punch him in the face, and he gets better?" Jericho grinned back.

"Sure. We could set something up. But, if Starfire is with him, then he's safe. She'll help him heal, too. Unless you want him to do something stupid to give you a reason to hit him," she shrugged.

"I would rather avoid such violence," Ambrosia frowned.

"I know, love. But, if a fist in the face will help him, why not? You slapped Aelfric, and it made him see reason. Maybe this is what Robin needs," Jericho chuckled. "It would definitely make  _me_  feel better after knowing what he saw."

"Jericho!" Ambrosia gaped at him with amazement.

"What?! I'm telling the truth!" he grinned. "Besides, if he tries something with you at the gala, it could go badly! I would rather get something done now and stop it in its tracks before it gets any worse. You know this, as well as I do. If we wait too long then something will snap."

"He's right, Ambrosia," Raven smiled. "Sometimes, Robin needs his butt kicked to understand what he needs to do. It's a given with him."

"Well, I refuse to be a part of this scheme," she frowned.

"Don't worry. It will happen when you least expect it," Jericho chuckled.

"You wouldn't dare to trick me, you evil husband!" she blinked.

"He would," Raven snickered. "Well, now that I know this is going to help me focus better, I'll contact Robin in a bit. I'll help you help him clear out his head. It's needed."

"Needed or not, it's an awful thing to do," Ambrosia sighed.

"But, it's needed," Jericho smiled softly at his wife. She simply sighed again and nodded. Raven nodded back to her and left the room. Jericho closed the door and looked at his wife, as he asked, "What worries you, darling? Please tell me?"

"Robin will try to kiss me," she shivered. "That is what bothers me."

"I'll do my very best to keep that from happening!" he growled.

"And, if it does?"

"He'll still get a punch in the mouth! Maybe he'll spit out a few teeth..."

"Jericho!"

"He will! A High Warlock's words are prized words of wisdom. Even you know this. If Raven says that a punch in the face will cure him, then you  _know_  I'm going to punch him in the face! And you  _know_  that I'm going to  _enjoy_  every bit of it!" he smirked. "Anyone who tries to kiss you that is an ally will get my fist shoved down their throats from this point forward. I'll have them choking on their tongues, if I have to, in order to prove a point!"

"Oh, who did I marry?!" she grimaced. "Are you a brute or a King? I don't know anymore."

"I am the best of both when it comes to protecting my wife," he growled, as he sat next to her and squeezed her. "I thought you liked the brutish beast within me, eh?"

At her hard blush he grinned wickedly and kissed her soundly. As he focused on his wife, Raven had contacted Beast Boy and Cyborg in a three way conversation.

"Raven! How are you doing?" Cyborg grinned.

"Learn some new stuff?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yes. A lot. And I learned a fast cure for Robin. It's not pleasant, but it will work," Raven chuckled and told them what she discovered. Cyborg was dying with laughter, and Beast Boy was pale in the face.  _Punch Robin's lights out?! Was she for real?!_

"You gotta be kidding," Beast Boy frowned.

"I'm not. I wish I was. But, this is Sinlus's doing. Robin can find out after he gets clobbered by Jericho. Or, he can be told in a certain way to strengthen his resolve to get 'cured'. This is something that needs to be done," Raven now said seriously. "I'm still a High Warlock in training, so to speak. Robin will know to trust my words. If I tell him to talk to Ambrosia, he will. Once Jericho knocks some sense into him, both he and Jericho will find a way to mend this. Sinlus will be cut down. Ambrosia...yeah...she'll be upset, but Jericho will help her cope."

"Of course, he will," Beast Boy nodded. "But...dude. Seriously? Punch Robin in the face?"

"No pain, no gain, BB!" Cyborg chuckled. Raven nodded at that.

"Robin's snoring, and Starfire is with him. He really does seem to be in a lot of pain," Beast Boy sighed. "Starfire told me that he's going to laugh at Slade if he fights him."

"Really?" Raven mused at this.

"Okay. Tell me you're joking!" Cyborg blanched.

"Nu-uh! Robin said so, too! Said that, um, Elvey laughed at his enemies all the time. Made them go nuts. I think. Elvey was Aelfric's dad," Beast Boy said.

"Laughing at the enemy...so...that's what the scriptures meant! The Laughing Battle Mage was him?! Wow. Slade is going to go down fast with how serious he is..." Raven mused even more.

"What? A laughing what?" Cyborg blinked.

"The Laughing Battle Mage. The scriptures tell of a man who found his enemies hilarious to look at and listen to in battle. It confused them so bad as to what he was laughing at that he cut them down like nothing. He made them rethink everything. The man was a battle tactician genius. And, if Robin gained all of those main memories with Jericho..." Raven grinned.

"We have someone we really don't want to piss off. Other than Jericho. Wow," Cyborg thought.

"What would Robin find funny about Slade?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Anything. It wouldn't matter. It could be the sound of his voice. The way he walks. The way he fights or thinks. Or just Slade as a whole. What was discovered, otherwise?" Raven asked.

"Well..." Beast Boy said and tried to explain what happened at the grove.

"That's...clever! Get the moon crystals to taste the energy patterns of Sinlus! Block him! Okay. So, the memories are a big bonus for Robin. He does need them. Fine. But, he still needs a punch in the face. Jericho is extremely upset, and, if it isn't done, I know that this will severe him from the Titans. We need to keep Jericho and Ambrosia as allies. It's important. It's dusk here, so it's dawn over there. It just became nightfall, which is why I'm here. We need to convince Robin to come here and talk things out with Ambrosia," Raven said. "Also, we need to block Sinlus. Not only because we must, but because he tried to hurt Ambrosia while she was sleeping. He infiltrated her dreams. It's bad. It could easily happen again, and that's something we must avoid."

"I'll say! We should just drag Robin there by force!" Beast Boy frowned.

"I have a better idea," Cyborg said. "Let him go to the grove and get more samples. Then we can have him take what he has to where you are to use on the crystals. That will be our excuse to get him over there. We can arrange a meeting. Star will need to know this. All I'll tell her is that we found a cure for Robin's madness. That will be all I need to say. I'll tell her more, if she needs to know more. If I know her, she wants Robin back to normal and will do what she can to help. Anyways, he needs to eat soon. When she comes for me, I'll tell her then. Deal?"

"Good. Let's fix Robin," Raven nodded. Beast Boy nodded back, and the communicators went dead. As predicted, Starfire went to find Cyborg a short while later.

"Um...Cyborg? Robin is still sleeping, but he will need nourishment soon," Starfire said, as she approached him. "Is everything ready?"

"Almost. Star, what would you say if I told you we found a cure for Robin?" Cyborg grinned.

"Really?! To help Robin be himself?!" she gasped.

"Yes. But, it involves Jericho hurting him. Just a little bit," Cyborg smirked.

"I...don't think I like that," she frowned. Cyborg told her what Raven said. Now Starfire was in shock. "Sinlus did this to Robin?!"

"Yes. And, he is trying to break us away from Jericho. They both need this. It will help Robin and Jericho. Will you help Robin by letting Jericho hurt him? It won't be bad. Just a punch in the face," Cyborg said carefully. "Something along that line. But, it will help them both."

"Um...well...if it will help Robin be Robin..." she fretted. He gave her a soft pat on the head and handed her a plate of cooked steaks.

"He can't know. When you guys come back from the grove, we'll go to the castle. We have to give the moon crystals Sinlus's 'scent' so they can block him," he said.

"Yes! I understand!" she nodded. "What does Ambrosia think of everything?"

"She doesn't like it, either," Beast Boy sighed, as he plopped down next to them. "But, there's no other way. And keep those things away from me!"

"You're the one that came over here!" Cyborg grinned, as Starfire took away the plate of meat. Starfire approached Robin's room in thought. _Let Robin get beaten up? By Jericho? But, it was Sinlus's fault, and Raven confirmed it. Ambrosia didn't like it, either. Yet, it would help Robin._ She narrowed her eyes with a nod. _I will help Robin get beaten up. Just this once!_

"Robin? I have nourishment for you!" she giggled and held the plate out to him. It was grabbed quickly, and the meat was inhaled with a furious vengeance. She chuckled, as it reminded her of how she ate on her home planet. "Um, Raven contacted us. She would like us to collect the daily samples of earth and bring it to the castle right away. Sinlus tried to attack Ambrosia's dreams. And...well...he may have hurt your memories with Jericho."

"What?!" Robin snarled out, as he swallowed what was in his mouth. "That...that would explain everything! Okay. Let me finish eating. We'll go to the grove the moment I'm done!"

"Yes, Robin! I will let Beast Boy know!" she nodded with a smile.

"Thanks for telling me," Robin sighed. "It really does explain why I got that memory. You said that Sinlus attacked Ambrosia in her dreams?"

"Yes. I do not know how, since it was not told to me, but it happened," she nodded softly.

"That's right. Jericho did tell me about that earlier today. But, Sinlus did this? To my memories? You're sure?" he asked, as he swallowed down a mouthful of steak.

"It is true, Robin. Sinlus tried to harm your memories of Aelfric."

"We need to get the defenses up and fast!" he growled.

"Maybe you could speak with Ambrosia? Find out what happened in full?"

"I'll call her."

"No! You should...um...see her! Face to face! It will help make things better."

"Are you sure about that? Jericho...seems pretty mad at me right now."

"He will be fine with it. Raven even suggested it, too."

"She did? Um...Star...are you sure about this?"

"Very! Cyborg and Beast Boy would agree!" she nodded with a grin. He narrowed his eyes.  _Something wasn't adding up._  He moved off the bed with the empty plate and took it into the kitchen.

"Robin! Dude! Feeling better?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah. Eh...Star is saying I should talk to Ambrosia. Instead of calling her about Sinlus," he said, as he put the plate in the sink. "I don't know if I should approach her."

"Dude, it would be for the best if you talked to her face to face," Beast Boy said. "You can't always call her now. Yeah, she's Jericho's wife, but she's also our friend! You're not afraid of friends, right? I mean...come on!"

"True," Robin chuckled.

"I want to go with you guys to this grove. I haven't seen it yet," Cyborg said.

"Me, neither," Raven said, as she appeared with her moon crystal. "I want to check it out. It wasn't there for me when we checked. It's night over in Ireland now. As you can see."

"Where's your robe?" Beast Boy asked.

"I'm wearing it. It likes the blue color," she smiled. She blinked at something and found herself grinning. "Perfect. Let's go."

"What?" Robin asked.

"My robe was telling me that there is nothing around the grove that it can sense. It can help pick up anything special that is revealed. I'm also strong enough that it can mentally speak with me now," she said. It was a partial truth, other than her robe mentally speaking to her. She also learned that everyone was in on Robin getting beaten up.

"Your robe creeps me out," Cyborg admitted.

"My robe thinks you're a metal golem that thinks too much. And talks too much," she chuckled. He growled at the small insult and moved to the garage to grab the car. They all piled in, and they were off to the forest area. As they were heading there, an alarm went off to show a break in was happening at a bank. Cyborg scowled, but Robin was clearly amused now. He wanted to know who it was.

"Let's check it out. Might be someone fun," he grinned.

"What?" Cyborg asked. "No orders for you to get a move on?"

"Well...yeah. That, too. Step on the gas and let's go, Titans!" Robin said.

"There's our Robin!" Starfire beamed and he blushed.

"Yep. That's the Robin we know!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Quiet!" Robin scowled, and Raven chuckled. Cyborg grinned and stepped on the gas to bring them to the bank. With the car parked and alarmed, they ran in. They found a man in a black and white jumpsuit running out with money bags. His hands were glowing, and a yellow light bulb was on his chest. A yellow belt was on his thin waist, and striped black and white boots went up his calves. An odd, white, fin-like design was on the top of his masked head, and it was attached to the suit.

"Oh. It's just him. Again," Cyborg smirked.

"No! I will get away with my loot! For I am Dr. Light!" the man hissed.

"Wait..." Robin said, as he ran a hand over his forehead. "No. NO! This isn't right!"

"What is not right?" Starfire blinked. "He is a villain! We must attack him! He is doing wrong!"

"I know he's a villain. It's just...he's a doctor? Seriously?" Robin asked before he started laughing. He fell to his knees from laughing so hard, and now he was hitting his fist in the floor.

"I am a doctor! Of light! Sort of..." the man grimaced now. Robin laughed even harder at the sound of the man's whiny voice, and he was shedding tears, as he rolled on the floor laughing and holding his gut. He coughed, as he continued to laugh and wiped the tears away before rising up to his knees.

"A Doctor of Light?! Please!" Robin said, as he gasped for air and sat up with a shake of his head. "Does the sun need a band aid?! Do you fix cracked light bulbs?!"

"Buh..." Cyborg blinked.

"Wow..." Beast Boy gaped. Starfire was simply in shock with a slack-jawed face.

"I am a powerful villain!" Dr. Light screamed out, as light flared from his hands.

"I've fought piles of  _dirt_  that had more sparkles than that!" Robin said, as he continued to laugh. Now the man was confused and rethinking his strategy, as well as what was going on. _I don't remember Robin ever acting like this before!_ Now that he was preoccupied with his thoughts, Robin grinned savagely as he took out his pole, extended it, and launched himself at Dr. Light to beat the living snot out of the man. He never saw Robin coming. He had no chance, as he got slammed into a wall and pummeled with various punishing blows.

"Yep. The Laughing Battle Mage is back..." Raven chuckled, as she agreed with her robe.

"Say Uncle!" Robin grinned wickedly, and he bent the man's arms back to pin him down.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Dr. Light cried out in defeat. Robin smirked, kicked him in the back to keep him down, and tossed the money bags back into the vault.

"Geez! Him. A doctor. Haha! I'll be laughing for weeks at that! And that outfit! Wow. Silkie has eaten things that looked better than that! Stupid human!" Robin continued to chuckle, as the cops arrived to take the man away. Beast Boy and Cyborg were still stunned when they got to the car.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Sorry, guys..." Robin sighed, as his mind came around again with a shake of his head. Elvey's memories were finally starting to leave his senses.

"Grove. Now," Raven said quickly. "Robin, why did you just say that Dr. Light was a stupid human? Aren't you a human?"

"I didn't say...oh. I did?!" Robin freaked. "What the heck is wrong with me?!"

"It's the memories," Starfire frowned, as the car was pushed into high gear.

"Yeah. Must be," Robin sighed. "Ugh. I'm getting hungry again..."

"Got ya covered!" Cyborg said, and he pushed a button. A plate of steaks appeared to pop out of the back seat, and Beast Boy freaked since he was right next to them.

"DUDE!" he screamed.

"Shut your eyes," Raven said calmly while she looked out a window. "Robin needs this."

"Warn me next time!" Beast Boy scowled. He became a monkey and curled up into a ball. He kept his small hands over his nose to keep the offending scent of roasted meat away. Robin was inhaling all of the beef quickly. When he reached the last steak, he found himself full. His body was finally reaching the point that it was nearly healed. Cyborg grabbed the steak and wolfed it down. After the plate was gone, Beast Boy reverted back to human to pout.

"Can't let that baby go to waste! Yummy!" he grinned.

"I will now lament for the pain and torment of so many cows," Beast Boy sulked in the back seat.

"It's not that bad," Raven shrugged.

"You should have gone with tofu, Robin!" Beast Boy said with a hurt tone.

"Sorry, Beast Boy. If it will make you feel better, I'll share a few tofu dinners with you when my body is better. Okay? It's the least I can do," Robin smiled.

"Really?! You will?!" Beast Boy beamed.

"Yes. Don't worry, Cyborg. It's just for Beast Boy for a few nights," Robin chuckled.

"All right, all right," Cyborg sighed. "As long as you still eat meat! Anyways, we're here."

"Finally!" Raven muttered. Starfire was frowning a bit, but she smiled at Robin. Raven took out an uncharged, yellow moon crystal and gave it to Robin. He nodded and crushed it. He moved to where the rune in the ground was originally, like before, and sprinkled the dust over it. When the grove came back, Raven and Cyborg were surprised at its beauty. The calm and serene feel came back to them, too.

"Now I see why Ambrosia got tricked," Cyborg growled.

"Same here," Raven frowned. "Normally, this place would only appear at night. Because it's showing during the day, this area of land is permanently affected from how long it was tampered with. Most of it was from that rune that we found when Ambrosia was trying to break free of the curse. When the power of the dust dies out, the land reverts to normal. But, when that box was in effect before, the land was stained with the magic every time. Two to three nights per century. That's actually a lot of magic. He had to change the landscape, keep Ambrosia cursed, and keep this place invisible to suit his needs. Sinlus took no chances."

"You would think not," Robin agreed with her. "We need to collect samples of everything that changed before the powder wears off! Quick!"

"Hmm," Beast Boy thought and changed into his unicorn form to look around. Now he paused and whinnied sharply at the stump. There was something growing on it that he saw. He pawed at it with a slender hoof and grabbed it with his teeth.

"What is it?" Raven frowned. She held out her hands, and he dropped it in them. At first, she saw nothing. Then her robe showed her an image, and she paled.

"What? Raven?" Robin frowned. "What did he give you?!"

"It's a toadstool. Normally the start of a fairy ring," she whispered. "It's invisible to us, because of the magic it's tainted with for the day. With Beast Boy, as a unicorn, he saw it. This mushroom is growing here to show that a castle is habitable! A Fae castle can be built right here underneath us! There is enough magic to sustain it! We'd have to make this area more like a hill for it to work."

"Are you serious?!" Robin mused now. "That would make it much easier to travel around for Jericho and Ambrosia. And for us, too. It would be invisible to everyone except for those that know what to look for. Fae have the ability to transport themselves from one castle to the next underground. It's the only time travel is permitted from moon magic. Not going in the sun? No problem. Go to another underground location. And, with this new place being in our time zone, we can travel from one place to the other without waiting for it turn dark in either area. This is something we definitely need to look into. We can build our own meeting place here! Close to the Tower! Sinlus may have done us a favor. I'm not gonna thank him, though. We need to tell this to Jericho."

"You'll tell him to his face," Cyborg said. "The communicators are gonna run dry."

"I thought you said they had limitless power?" Robin frowned.

"I lied," Cyborg shrugged. "Besides, we need to block Sinlus's energy. Right?"

"Yeah, we do," Robin sighed. Beast Boy snorted and reverted back to human form.

"I don't want Sinlus to hurt Ambrosia's dreams anymore," Beast Boy frowned.

"None of us do," Starfire nodded. "Shall we return?"

"Yeah. Ambrosia may be able to adjust the land here," Robin nodded.

"Good. Let's get moving," Cyborg said. Raven nodded, and they all went back to the car. As they drove back to prepare to head to Ireland through the moon crystals, Jericho was trying to figure out how to place his wife for Robin to find her. She was resting in bed, and he was looking over the gardens.

"Hmm," he frowned.

"Hey!" Kole giggled, as she walked over.

"Oh. Hello, Kole," he nodded. "Doing well?"

"Yes, I am," she beamed. "How is Ambrosia?"

"She's resting. How's Gnarrk?"

"He's getting used to the place. The lights made him worry for some time," she sighed. "Um...listen. I'm sorry about what happened with us before..."

"There is nothing to be sorry about. You broke it off with me. You were the one who said that a long distance relationship was too hard. We were in two sections of the world. What else is there to say? Yes. I was crushed. But, I moved on. I found Ambrosia, thanks to Beast Boy's help. She's my wife, and I have a son on the way. I love her. What about it?"

"Nothing about it! I just...wanted to say that I was sorry. That things didn't work out between us," she frowned. "I wish it did..."

"Kole," he sighed with mild irritation. "you are only saying this now because I can talk, and I actually look like someone you can hang out with again. I see you as a valuable friend and a little sister. That is all I can see you as now. I will fight by your side in the thick of battle, but you are not my wife. You are not the mother of my children. I cannot stress this enough. You are a dear friend of mine, but that is all you can ever be to me from this point forward. Please. Understand that."

"I do. I honestly do," she nodded. "So...I can see you as a big brother?"

"I don't mind that," he smiled. "Anyways, I need to get back to Ambrosia. I'm preparing to punch Robin in the face when I see him."

"What? Why?!" she frowned. He told her what he did with Robin and the duplicate memories, and what Robin accidentally received. She was shocked.

"So, now you see why. Raven also said this needed to happen. Don't worry, he'll be fine," he grinned. "I'll talk to you later on."

"Okay," she nodded. She watched him leave, and she frowned in thought.  _He was right, though. Since he started talking and acting like someone new, I started to see him in a new light. The only problem was that this light was forever out of reach._ She would definitely stand by him, and now she thought to herself.  _He was getting a son. Maybe, if things worked out, I could be with his son? My body doesn't really age in the Fae lands. It could be possible._  Smiling at this thought, she went back to the house she claimed with Gnarrk. Jericho was a touch irritated now. He walked back over to his wife, and she was still sleeping. His irritation melted away, as he watched her sleep, and he sighed with a form of contented comfort.  _She is truly the one for me._ He sat next to her on the bed and caressed her face.

"Darling?" he smiled and whispered in her ear. She blinked awake and smiled at him.

"Hmm?" she smiled lovingly, and he kissed her. He whispered to her of what happened with Kole, and she sighed. "At least she understands."

"For now," he nodded and rubbed her belly. "How are you feeling?"

"Still tired," she said and sat up. He helped her and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry, love. All of this will be over soon. With Robin, anyways," he grinned.

"Oh, you brute of a husband!" she muttered.

"Always for you," he growled and kissed her possessively. "Mmm, you smell good. Taste good, too. Like honey. Warm, lush honey...completely exotic and rich..."

"Do I?" she blushed.

"Always," he chuckled and blinked at the communicator. He reached for it and answered it, "Hello? Oh. Raven! What's going on?"

"We are on our way. We found some interesting news about the grove. We'll tell you when we get there," Raven grinned. He nodded and the connection was cut off.

"We need to get you dressed and prettied up," Jericho smiled.

"I can help with that!" Jinx giggled, as she peered in the doorway.

"You know what needs to happen?" he grinned.

"No, but it sounds like fun! Fill me in?" she asked. Her black robe had become dark purple for her, and Kid Flash was quick to appear next.

"Nice room!" he whistled.

"Thanks. Oh, I need to talk to you before Robin gets here. To both of you. A lot is going to be happening soon," Jericho said sternly. That got their attention, and now they were told of the moon crystals, what needed to be done with them, how they needed to be harvested, and when the harvesting needed to be done. Kid Flash took this all in, and Jinx was amazed.

"That early, huh?" Kid Flash frowned. "Yeah, Mas y Menos will have to help me. I'm not sure how delicate I can be with crystals, but, eh, practice makes perfect, as they say!"

"Oh, and you both will love this," Jericho smirked. He told them about Robin's situation. Jinx gaped at how Robin had to get punched out.

"I want to watch that!" Kid Flash grinned.

"From a safe distance, fine. Tell the others so they know not to say anything or to intervene. This is to help me get back at Robin, and to help him with the mind link memory that Sinlus messed up. It has to go right, or I will be forced to nullify my alliance with you guys. I don't want to do to that, so it's  _very_  important that nothing goes wrong. Got it?" Jericho warned. Kid Flash nodded and was already off. Ambrosia was dressed in a gown much like the one Aelfric saw her in before. It was silvery green, but had a plunging neckline to show a bit of cleavage. Jericho had picked it out specifically, and she had forgotten that she wore a gown like this at her first meeting with Aelfric. Jewels were placed on her and makeup was applied. Her silver harp was handed to her, and she sighed.

"Is this really necessary?" she frowned.

"You know it is, love," he smiled and kissed her gently. "I'll escort you to the garden. I'll sit off in the distance and shroud myself. I won't be far off."

"You promise?" she winced.

"Yes. I promise," he breathed over her mouth and kissed her a bit deeper. He carried her to the chosen garden and set her in the center. She shook her head, as he walked off, and she lightly plucked the strings of her harp. It really was a beautiful place. The center of the garden was green with moss, and exotic flowers bloomed within it all year round. She started to sing softly, as she got into her music. When she looked up, she paused. Robin was staring at her with pure shock.

He had arrived not long ago. Raven told him that she had to study some books and she left. Starfire went to see if she could help in the dining hall. Beast Boy and Cyborg were going to start letting the moon crystals get defensive from Sinlus. Robin had quickly found himself alone and was walking up to the castle when he started to hear the harp. It tugged at the memory from Aelfric, and he had to follow the sound. At the sight of her in the silvery green dress, his mind was screaming that it was a trap. He was helpless to resist it and ignored the warning.

"Hey," he smiled and sat by her.

"Oh! Where are the others?" she frowned.

"They're around. Um...why are you dressed like this?" he asked.

"I felt like it," she shrugged. "Am I not allowed to wear a dress of this color?"

"No," he swallowed. "But...I just find it odd since it reminds me of the memory."

"Memory?" she blinked. She honestly had forgotten what she had worn that day, and now the shock hit her. "Oh! Oh, dear! I had no idea! I'll go change right now!"

"No, no," he sighed. "You don't have to. You look...really nice...actually. A lot more grown up than fourteen, but...yeah. You look nice."

"Thank you," she blushed softly and looked away. "Um...where is Starfire? Shouldn't she be with you? I know what your state of mind is like..."

"She'll be here soon," he chuckled. "Eh...well..."

"Hmm?"

"Everyone's been acting really strange. And now I see you like this...is this a set up?"

"A what?" she blinked.

"Are you all trying to set me up with something?" he frowned now. She sighed and moved to stand as though to retreat, and he stopped her by standing with her to block her path.

"Robin...please..." she trembled. "I should go back to Jericho..."

"I know you slapped Aelfric and that it was justified," he shivered. "I know why you did it. I just...I can't get it out of my head! I know it's Sinlus's doing, too! Maybe...if you kiss me...just once...it will stop the image?"

"No, Robin!" she paled. "It will not stop it!"

"Aren't Fae Queens able to take lovers on the side?" he mused. "Would you like to find out?"

"Robin! I would never do such a thing!" she colored now.

"No! She wouldn't!" Jericho snarled out, as he launched himself at his friend. His fist connected solidly with Robin's jaw and sent the young man reeling back into a patch of flowers. He tripped over himself and landed flat on his back from the force of the blow. "Are you going to flirt with my wife again and suggest such disgusting things?!"

"Ow!" Robin grimaced, as he rubbed his face and looked at who socked him. The look on Jericho's face was solid rage. He was not expecting such words to come from his mouth.

"Jericho!" Ambrosia fretted.

"No," he growled. "Wait there!"

"But..." she grimaced. The look he gave her was solid protection. He knew he wasn't going to hurt Robin anymore. He could tell that whatever plagued Robin's thoughts was gone. He just wasn't going to take any chances. She nodded to him and looked away.

"What...the hell was I...thinking...?!" Robin gasped and sat up. The pain in his jaw was excruciating. He looked at Jericho and blinked.  _The memory no longer held any effect on me. Sinlus had lost._  Jericho now nodded and held out his hand. Robin took it, got pulled to his feet, and they shook hands. Jericho saw him as a fellow leader again, and Robin was looking at him the same way.

"Sorry, we couldn't tell you," Cyborg grinned, as he walked over to them.

"Sinlus polluted your mind, Robin," Starfire sighed.

"The only way to fix it was for Jericho to punch you out!" Beast Boy said.

"I figured it all out when I sensed something was wrong," Raven said, as she walked over now. "Your memories should no longer be affected, either. You should be whole again."

"Uh...yeah. Thanks?" Robin winced. Ambrosia walked over to lightly touch the swollen area and healed it with a soft, blue flare of her crown. He blinked and sighed.

"It felt good," Jericho smirked.

"For you, maybe!" Robin muttered. That got laughter from everyone else. "Anyways, yeah. My mind is clear now. Finally. I can think for myself. Sinlus...I want his spirit dead!"

"Tell us something we don't know," Jericho nodded. Now he moved to Ambrosia to pull her close, kiss hard, and hug tight. She pressed her face into his neck, and he sighed. Robin saw this and hid a grimace. The memory no longer plagued him, but his desire for her never left. He couldn't show it. He knew his mind hadn't fully healed, but he could think again. Once Jericho knew she was comforted, he looked at Robin and asked, "What did you find out about the grove?"

"Oh, only that Sinlus polluted the area with so much magic that it can hold a castle under it now," Robin grinned. He was mentally grateful for the change in topic and conversation. This news made Ambrosia blink with surprise, and Jericho was grinning wickedly.

"Are you serious?" Jericho asked, as he still grinned.

"Beast Boy became a unicorn and found the start of a fairy ring growing on the charred stump," Raven said and revealed it. Now that it was nightfall, it was able to be revealed as a tall, thin, yellow stalk with a tiny pointed cap. Jericho's grin got even wider.

"When do we start construction?" Cyborg grinned.

"Tomorrow. Ambrosia needs to gather as much strength as she can. That means no healing my voice!" Jericho mused to her. She seemed to pout at that, but she nodded. She would need to work with the landscape and make the grove a full reality. It would take a lot out of her.

"And what do we do about the crystals and Sinlus's energy pattern?" Cyborg asked.

"Raven, I'll need to teach you what to do. Robin, I trust you will treat my wife with respect? I need someone to help look after her for a bit. Starfire, I'd have you with him, but I really need your help to reach the highest crystals on each building. I can show you what needs to be done, but you will need to help prepare them for Raven. Since you can fly, it's necessary. Same with Beast Boy. Cyborg, you will have to work with Herald in making sure each crystal will repel Sinlus's scent. Herald is in the library. Robin, this shouldn't take very long. Maybe ten minutes at the most," Jericho said.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Robin nodded.

"You will be wary?" Starfire frowned.

"Always," he nodded to her. Ambrosia shook her head. She clearly didn't want to be alone with anyone else. As they dispersed, she was set down in the garden again, and Robin sat with her. His mind was much clearer now, and he was able to think for himself again. As much as he still desired her, she needed to know that he could be trusted. He didn't like how upset she was, and he didn't know what he could say to help her. It was wise to remain silent right now.

"It is important that Jericho stays away for no longer than ten minutes," she sighed.

"Oh? Well, I wouldn't know why. Jericho gave me all of the tactical benefits and no other personal stuff. Explain it to me?" he asked.

"You see, Fae pregnancies have three conditions. One for each month. You were both half-right about my pregnancy illness. It actually lasts all through the first month of my pregnancy," she frowned. "I thought about it a bit more, and now I remember much of it. So, I am ill for the first month."

"What?" he blinked.

"It's actually the most lenient month for me to be left alone. The second month will bring about anxiety. If he is gone for longer than five minutes, I'll start to fret and go crazy. It's what happened with my Mother all the time when I saw her pregnant with my siblings. My Father had to remain at her side constantly," she winced. "The third month is the most dangerous, but a bit more lenient. I can be alone for up to an hour, but...any longer than that...I would go into a rage that could force me to abort my own child. The stress would be too much for me to handle. That was actually the scariest time for my Father. He would refuse to meet with any officials for that month. Jericho...I think he does not know. I also believe that this is why the Unseelie Court wanted to wait for two months of my pregnancy. The Court remembered this and knew this."

"So...they could test and see..." Robin gaped.

"How long he could be without me at his side before he snapped and realized that it was too late. Even worse is that...a Fae woman can only become pregnant once a year. Sometimes it's once every two years, depending on her treatment. It's why Fae Folk regard their children so highly and protect them with everything they have. If a single pregnancy option was missed, or interrupted, it could harm the whole race. And, with my entire family wiped out, a whole branch of Fae society is gone..." she whimpered. When she shivered and threatened to cry, he hugged her to comfort her. He had to make sure that Jericho got back to her. Right now, it was her time of illness so she could be without him. It was still painful for her, and he was extremely concerned for her well-being. Even moreso now that he learned about this.

"For your second month," he whispered. "was there anything that could be proven dangerous other than the anxiety? That you know of? I know there's something else, but I can't grasp it!"

"It's known..." she shivered. "that Fae women...if they can't reach their life mates in time...they  _will_  go to another for comfort. It will be instinctive. To find a way to calm themselves to keep their pregnancy thriving. That is also why my Father didn't leave Mother's side. Any male that wished to be with her...all they had to do was lure my Father away and make sure that they were in her line of sight to help her. Of course, the moment my Father reappeared, the need for another was gone...but...just knowing that I could reach for anyone...I don't want that to happen! I really don't!"

"Robin, leave. Now," Jericho said the moment he approached them. He had been listening to the lights that filtered around her and taught Raven everything he could as quickly as he could. He was completely distraught, and he needed her to not only comfort himself, but he had to comfort her. Robin nodded and let Jericho take his place. The moment Robin was out of sight, he pulled her into his lap to squeeze her fiercely to his chest. He had no idea of what he was getting into with a Fae pregnancy until now.

"Jericho!" she whimpered, and he ran his hands over her form as he hugged her tight.

"I'm here, my darling..." he soothed and kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Please don't leave me..."

"I won't leave your side," he vowed. "I'll never leave your side."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," he smiled and continued to hold her. Raven was wondering why Jericho was so swift in teaching her everything. She looked at Robin and noticed he looked very upset and frustrated.

"The punch in the face wasn't that bad. Was it?" she mused.

"It's not that," Robin admitted. "It's what she told me about her pregnancy. And with Fae pregnancies in general. It's...more than I expected."

"What did she tell you?" Beast Boy asked, as he landed by them and reverted human. Starfire was contacted with Cyborg, and they appeared to listen. Robin told them about the conditions of her pregnancy and what was revealed to him about Fae pregnancies as a whole. Beast Boy was just in shock that she could go to another for comfort. No one wanted that.

"I say that Jericho is not to be separated from her for any reason from this point forward," Cyborg muttered. "I know there are plenty of guys in the Titans that, though we see them as our allies, would be far too curious for their own good to see if this is true."

"As much as I hate to say it, you're right," Robin frowned. "I mean...if it's accidental...it's still wrong. Jericho could get the wrong idea."

"He won't. It would be instinctive for her," Raven grimaced. "I say we try to keep this bit of information between us. We can probably tell them what she told us about how often she can get pregnant, but...if word got out about what could happen in her second month of being pregnant..."

"I know," Robin nodded.

"I don't think I ever want a Fae girlfriend!" Beast Boy said. "Too much trouble!"

"But, they are very loyal," Starfire smiled. "Ambrosia would never hurt Jericho."

"I know," Robin smiled. "Are the crystals done?"

"Practically. We have one more section on the north side to cover," Cyborg said.

"Let's get to it, Titans!" Robin said. As they moved off to work on the rest of the crystals, Bushido was in shock of what he overheard. He was walking towards them when they gathered around to see what he could do, and he heard the whole thing. He could understand why they didn't want the others to know, but he wasn't trusted?  _No, it wasn't that. They were simply being cautious for Ambrosia's safety. Too cautious, but cautious all the same._  He knew that there were, in fact, quite a few Titans that would want to see if it was true.  _I am not one of them. I have to come clean with what I heard._ His honor was at stake now. He moved over to Robin and tapped his shoulder.

"Bushido? Is something wrong?" Robin asked when he saw his friend's frown.

"Robin, I...overheard what you spoke to them about just now," Bushido said.

"You did?!" Robin winced. "It's not that we don't trust you..."

"I know. It's fine. And you're right. There are a few that would test the theory. I am honorable. I don't do that. I needed to tell you what I heard. I am not an eavesdropper on my friends and those I trust. While we are only human, most of us as Titans, that is, we all have one true goal. To help each other. If you need my help, let me know. I'll do what I can," he said.

"That's all I can ever ask for," Robin nodded, and they shook hands. "You should tell Jericho. As much as I'm sure he'd be disgruntled, I know for a fact that he would appreciate your honesty."

"You think that's wise?" Bushido grinned. "I did see how hard he hit you."

"Yeah, well, you weren't the one that had to feel it!" he muttered. That made Bushido laugh hard, and Robin scowled at him lightly. "I'm sure everyone witnessed it, too."

"None of us wanted to miss our all-mighty leader of the Titans get his butt handed to him," Bushido chuckled. "But, you are right. I will talk to Jericho now."

"Just remember, Bushido," Robin smirked. "I'm wiser now than I was then."

"Oh?" he asked.

"I have quite a few memories that were given to me. All of them full of tactics and ways to get even with everyone. I won't be afraid to call on them, if I must," Robin warned. That made Bushido look at Robin differently now and he paused.  _There was a glimmer of wisdom and a solid look of amusement in his white eyes now. There was even a faint, confident smirk that was easy to miss._ It was never there before, and it actually made Bushido nervous. It was a feeling that this one could easily tear him limb from limb. _And it would be effortlessly done without any form of regret._

"I'll remember your warning," he said carefully.

"I would hope so. I see you as a trusted friend, but...even friends can become enemies," Robin frowned. "There is much that I've been thinking on. And, I'll tell you something that I told my team."

"What was that?"

"Slade...I find him amusing. Childish even," Robin grinned. "He makes me laugh."

"Does he?!" Bushido asked incredulously.

"Yes. If I have to fight him as a test, I already know he's a dead man."

"I would believe it."

"Would you?"

"Robin, for the first time since I've known you...I find you...scary. Challenging. Something changed in you now. For the better? I don't know. I know you will use this power to help others, but you can't let it control you."

"I know. That's what Starfire is there for. To help me remember myself," Robin said softly. That made Bushido blink with surprise again. "I think...when all of this is over...I'm going to ask her to marry me. I need her to marry me. She...keeps me whole."

"Does she know this?"

"She knows she helps me sleep. And that she's special to me. But, as for marriage...no. She doesn't know yet. I want it to be a surprise."

"Your secret is safe with me," Bushido promised. Robin nodded with a soft smile and got a clap to his back in congratulations. That made him laugh softly, and he shook his head.

"Go talk to Jericho. If you're needed, you'll be called," Robin smiled. Bushido nodded and made his way to the garden. What he saw made him look away quickly.

"Jericho, love," Ambrosia giggled softly.

"Hmm?" he muttered, as he pressed himself against her.

"We have a visitor. I told you we should have gone to bed!" she whispered to him.

"As if we could have waited that long," he grinned. They were only covered in his massive, golden cape-like cloak, and their clothing was set neatly off to one side. He sat up and shielded her now with his arms over his chest. "Who's there? Just come out and don't be embarrassed."

"So you say!" Bushido muttered, as he stepped into the garden and averted his eyes.

"Bushido? What is it?" Jericho frowned. With a sigh, he was told what he heard and now Jericho was clearly not very amused. Ambrosia was grimacing, as she hid behind her husband.

"I needed to come clean with everything," Bushido said.

"And I do appreciate your honesty. Very well. I'll trust you around my wife. To an extent," he nodded. "What else is going on?"

"Robin is finishing up with the crystals. The others are almost done, too. What are the plans after this is taken care of?" Bushido asked.

"Good question. Even I don't know. I guess...if you want to go back to your true home, you can? Not much else to do right now. Not until tomorrow, anyways," Jericho shrugged. "I am curious, though. What made you decide to come here? Surely the things that Robin told you appeared to be far-fetched, right? Hard to believe?"

"I must admit, I was confused. I didn't know what to believe. But, well, when others were there to witness such an event, and then to see it for yourself...what else is there to believe?" Bushido grinned.

"Such a true way of thinking," he chuckled. "What do you think of the Unseelie Court?"

"I wish I never knew they existed," Bushido said seriously. "To know that such an evil has survived for so long and may never exhaust itself out...that time is never an enemy to our own enemy..."

"I know," Jericho sighed. "But, you did taste the Fae honey, right?"

"I did," he nodded. "I found it quite good. It was filling."

"Just so you know," Jericho smirked. "any human that tastes the food from the Fae will gain unusual benefits when it comes to age. You may actually outlive quite a few battles. You could even live through four lifetimes, if you keep yourself safe. The others don't know this yet, but they'll find out in time. Not only that, but, just by living here, you could extend your life even further."

Bushido was speechless yet again.  _Forbidden food that could make me immortal? A land of eternal youth? Do I even want to live for so long?_ He knew he didn't. But then he thought that, if he could live long enough to outlive his enemies to ensure the safety of others, it could be beneficial.  _I'll have to brush up on my knowledge of the Fae now and learn to understand my enemies._

"I have a lot to learn," he admitted slowly.

"We all do," Ambrosia sighed behind Jericho's back. "No matter how much one learns, something new will always be waiting to be found. There is no such thing as too much knowledge. I had a thousand years of life denied to me. There is far too much that I lack that I should have known. The only thing I can hope for is that other Fae are out there that can help teach me what I lack. Other than what Jericho can show me. Aelfric may have been young when he met me, but the signs of greatness were there. The signs appeared at only two years of age! Fae Mages can advance slowly or swiftly. He was far swifter than most. He truly had a gift from his father. It still pains me on what happened..."

"Hush, love," Jericho whispered, as he turned to hug her. "Don't fret over the past. Let's work on the here and now. You are safe and loved by me. You have friends that will safeguard you for as much as they are able. Do not worry over things that you had no control of."

"Okay," she smiled, and he kissed her gently. "I'm getting hungry."

"Then I'll feed you," he smiled tenderly and looked at Bushido. "While it is still nightfall here, I'm sure you can come and go as you please with the help of a charged moon crystal. Raven and Herald should have quite a few on them right now."

"Of course," Bushido nodded. As he turned to leave, he was amazed at the bond between the two of them.  _They were clearly soul mates of a sort._ He would never want to step between them. He saw how furious Jericho was when Robin suggested that Ambrosia should take him as a lover. He witnessed, and heard, the bone-crunching hit of Jericho's knuckles as they slammed into Robin's jaw. On a larger scale, Robin didn't even see Jericho coming at him. One would have thought that, with the memories Robin had gained, that he would have known better. _Ambrosia had completely absorbed his thoughts and destroyed his focus of everything else._  He knew that the same thing could happen to him, if he wasn't careful.  _The last thing I want to do was piss off Jericho to the level that Robin got him at._

As he walked off, Jericho sighed and cradled his wife.

"We should get dressed," she said softly.

"Not needed," he smirked and muttered a few words of power. They were transported with their clothing to the bedroom. "I found out an easier way to get around."

"So I see!" she blushed. "So...um...what do we do now?"

"Whatever we want until tomorrow," he sighed and pulled her under the blanket.

"We will need to leave here when it approaches dawn. Especially if I am to help create a new castle. Right?" she mused. At his soft grin, a kiss was placed on her mouth.

"I'm surprised at myself," he frowned.

"Why?"

"I didn't...fully look into your pregnancy. I was so eager to make our heir..."

"Love, it's fine. As long as I know that you will never leave my side..."

"I would  _never_  leave your side!"

"At the gala, would you leave my side to handle guests? Since we plan to have this during my second month of pregnancy...well...anything could happen with so many appearing..."

"Like _hell_  will that happen now!" he growled. "I...am worried about the gala. I just remembered something, thanks to you. Aelfric did have a friend out there that desired you. I think this one still lives, too, since he wasn't there at the wedding. He was so bitter when he learned about the betrothal! I'm not sure that you would remember him."

"Who was he?" she asked.

"Orin. The one that claimed he could slip past everyone unseen."

"That pompous pile of pollen dust was Aelfric's friend?!" she gaped. He burst into laughter now. He had forgotten what the Fae used as swear words, and it was outrageously cute when it came from her. "As if I'd want that mangy, ill-gotten, slime-riddled...!"

"Okay!" he gasped, as he tried to recover. "Hopefully he won't show!"

"And, if he does and challenges you for your right as King?" she asked softly.

"That..." he recovered quickly as rage filled his mind. "will never happen! Our crowns are true soul crowns, love. You saw the light they flared at our wedding, and, even now, when they touch. Our crowns are mated, as are we. If our crowns were not, then the challenge could be seen. There have been plenty of royal couples with crowns that simply did not fit with each other. Equals, yes, but not truly mated. If he challenges me, he dies. I don't care how deep of a friendship he had with Aelfric in the past. As far as I'm concerned, he's no longer a true friend. He didn't even bother to try to help you!"

"I say that, if you are challenged, we show how much we love each other. If it still does not change the mind of others, maybe you should possess him?" she mused. "I'm sure he has some blackmail secrets. What do you think?"

"Now that I could possibly do to the more powerful ones," he grinned wickedly. "I'm sure they have lots of dirty secrets that they wouldn't want exposed. But, when it comes to Orin, I don't want to touch his mind with a ten foot pole!"

"Is that so?"

"Very."

"And if he tries to touch me?"

"Dead."

"Good."

"Good?"

"As if I would want that disgusting excuse of a lily-livered beast near me!"

"Oh...!" he barked out laughter again and squeezed her. "You are so cute when you swear!"

"I'll be swearing a lot more if I see him!" she vowed, and he started laughing again. "However, I do have something I want to ask you. And...you won't be laughing."

"What is that, love?" he asked with a small smile.

"If...now I'm not saying that it will, but..." she sighed. "if something should go wrong, and you are not there for me during my second month with your growing son..."

"That won't happen!" he suddenly growled out.

"Still," she said seriously. "who would you prefer to protect me if such a thing did?"

"Do you have to ask such a thing of me?!" he grimaced and glared at her.

"I must," she said. He snarled out with hatred at this, but he knew she was right.

"You know who that would be," he finally sighed. "There would be one other, but I doubt it."

"Who?" she asked. He whispered to her and she looked at him with shock. "Are you sure?!"

"That would be the only other one I would trust. The only thing I could ever ask for is for either of them to hesitate before moving on with it," he admitted. "I know one will. I don't know about the other. I don't want to think about it."

"I know," she sighed, and he hugged her. "I am sorry that it causes us both so much pain..."

"I understand," he smiled weakly and kissed her passionately. "I know why you asked."

"If something does happen at the gala," she shivered, and he growled. Now he was thinking hard, and he swallowed.  _As long as I am able to walk in and stop everything, I'll feel that much better about it._ At least he had chosen two that he deemed worthy enough that he could trust with her.

"Love, will you be all right without me for about twenty minutes?" he asked. "I need to check on our defenses. Before any of the others leave, that is."

"I'll be fine. Help me dress in a nightgown in case something happens," she said. "I don't feel ill right now. I was hungry before, but..."

"Here," he smiled and took out the jar of honey. He dabbed a taste of it on her tongue and kissed her to share it. Now he wouldn't be hungry for a while with her. "I think I'll just share honey with you all the time! So much more enjoyable."

"Darling," she murmured, as he kissed her again. "Remember what you were doing."

"I will after I remember who I'm doing," he chuckled wickedly. Then he grinned at her blush. Ten minutes later, she was sleeping in a light blue gown, and he was dressed. He walked out of the bedroom and found Robin approaching him.

"Jericho! I wanted to let you know that we were going to head out in a bit," Robin said.

"Good. I was going to see you, anyways," he sighed. "How good is your sign language?"

"It's not bad, but not good," Robin frowned.

"Work with me," Jericho said and held up his hands. Very slowly, he signed out the conversation he shared with his wife. Robin watched his hands with close detail, and his eyes nearly bugged out from his mask at what he was seeing.

"No!" Robin gaped.

"Don't speak out loud! Someone could hear you!" Jericho warned. "Sign it!"

Robin grimaced and shook his head, as he signed. - _Are you serious about this?! This is crazy! You punched me in the jaw just for suggesting it!-_

_-I know. But, this is for my wife and son. You think I don't like thinking about it?-_  He signed back with a grimace. - _What else am I supposed to do? The only other option is Beast Boy!-_

"What?!" Robing gaped again. At Jericho's glare, Robin signed again. - _Beast Boy?! Why not Cyborg, or even Bushido?! I'd even go with Aqualad! But Beast Boy?!-_

_-He helped break her curse. That's why. He's also loyal to her. He will also hesitate like crazy, if it came down to the wire.-_  Jericho smirked.

_-Okay. I can see the hesitation. But...why me? I have Starfire!-_  Robin frowned.

_-I know you will kill whoever tries to touch her that isn't me. That's why. You and I share the same memories of Aelfric and Elvey. We're even starting to talk the same at times, and most of it is from Elvey's experience and memories! We are both formidable men. At this point, we could even be brothers. We both know that neither of us wants to lose another Fae. That Fae is my son. And this is Ambrosia we're talking about. You have one distinct memory of her and Aelfric. Just one is enough! Yes, it's a bad one, but it affected you. Yes, I punched you in the face, but it helped you think again and got me in a better mood. Besides, with the gala in a possible motion, Ambrosia brought up something to me, and it made me remember something. I nearly forgot all about it.-_  He sighed.

_-What?-_  Robin asked.

_-Aelfric had a friend by the name of Orin. He wanted Ambrosia for himself. Ambrosia...dislikes him. To a point that she started swearing!-_  He grinned with a small chuckle.

_-She swore? Wow!-_  Robin grinned back. - _What do you think this guy will do?-_

_-Challenge me for my Kingship. That's what he might do!-_  Jericho frowned heavily.

_-Impossible! Your crown is mated to hers! I witnessed it!-_  Robin growled.

_-He won't care. I may end up slaughtering him, and I don't want her to see the outcome. Fae women get overly distressed when pregnant. Same with human women. It's all the extra hormones and such. I don't want her to see me when I get seriously pissed off! She caught a glimpse of it with you. I don't want her to see me kill someone. Especially another Fae.-_  He signed with a heavy sigh.

_-Well, we have some time.-_  Robin thought. - _She's in her first week of the first month of her pregnancy. We technically have two weeks after this. When did you want this gala to happen?-_

_-When she starts showing her pregnancy. That won't be until the second month. I'd like to prepare a place much like the dining hall. Maybe in the new location we will build tomorrow._  -Jericho nodded. - _What are your thoughts on this?-_

_-I was personally thinking of the new place to be strictly for meetings. A true gathering place for everyone. It was made to be a bad spot for Ambrosia. I want it to be turned into a new base of locations. This way, she won't feel bad about going there. She will know it will always be well-guarded.-_  Robin nodded back. - _That is what I think of it.-_

"We think alike," Jericho finally said aloud. Then he thought and started signing again. - _There is one last thing I want you to do before you leave. I hate it, but it must be done.-_

"What?" Robin asked. Then he sighed at Jericho's glance and signed again. - _What do you want me to do? Anything bad? It must be if you hate it!-_

_-I want you to kiss my wife.-_  Jericho signed and looked away. Now Robin looked at him with complete shock.  _Was he serious?!_  As much as he desired her, he knew this was drawing a line.

_-No! I won't do it! You know I can't do that!-_  Robin was grinding his teeth now.

_-You have to know what it's like. So you can stop yourself at the right time. You know this as well as I do. Like I said before, I hate it. But, it must be done.-_  He seemed to grumble. - _At least, it will only be done while she's pregnant. When my son is born, she'll be fine and safe.-_

_-Until her next pregnancy!-_  Robin frowned at him. Jericho winced and seemed to nod at how right he was. - _Do we even tell Beast Boy about this?-_

_-No. He'll panic. We'll wait until we have no choice. I know you won't say anything. Robin, this is for my son! This is for my wife! I would rather have you help her than someone else! It pains me to think that someone could try to take advantage of her!-_  Jericho shivered. - _I don't want anyone else to try and get in the way of my wife's pregnancy. It's just...I'm trying to think ahead. That's all.-_

_-I know you are. But...do you really want me to kiss her? Now? I mean, Starfire may be looking for me soon! Now is not a good time!-_  Robin pursed his lips in frustration.

"Go in there now. Quick," he muttered. "I'll act like I'm watching the castle."

"If you say so," Robin muttered back. They both nodded to each other a touch grimly. Robin walked in and blinked at the show of wealth the room held. When he saw her sleeping under the heavy blanket with her hand resting on the pillow by her face, he paused. His heart started racing.  _She was simply beautiful. She was stunning._ He had never seen her sleep before. Starfire had her own beauty, but this was magnified by several times. He walked over and sat down at her bedside now. As he thought back, he realized that he always did want to kiss her.  _But, like this? How should I approach this?_  She felt the bed shift, and now she started to move.

"Jericho?" she yawned and blinked awake. When she stretched, her eyes opened fully, and she gasped at the sight of him. "Robin! What are you doing in here?! Does Jericho know?"

"Yes, he does. He...wants me to kiss you," Robin said with a touch of embarrassment.

"Why?" she blinked. Then she paused. Now she paled. "What does he hope this will do?"

"I don't know. He's hoping that, well, it will help me stop myself," he admitted.

"You would think that it would do the opposite," she frowned. "I don't think you should."

He was going to agree with her, but he caught the scent of her breath. _It was the scent of honey._ Sweet and potent, it made him gasp with a shake of his head. He swallowed and said, "Are Fae...known to seduce without knowing? Is it possible?"

"I don't know!" she thought. "I wouldn't even know how if it happened! Why?"

"Because," he gasped again, and he looked at her. He couldn't stop himself, as he pressed his mouth to hers. He groaned at the taste of honey when it filled his mind. Dense, sweet, and undeniably rich, it filled his mouth as though to brand his tongue. Now he knew what her name really meant.  _She was a dangerous nectar to anyone other than her husband._  In a way, it frightened him that he couldn't stop himself. His mouth moved to her jaw to taste there, and he was amazed that she tasted like honey there, too! She was clearly a forbidden fruit, and now he wanted to devour his fill of her.  _I don't want to stop now!_ He kissed her again and felt a heavy hand smack down on his shoulder.

"You've had enough. Back down," Jericho growled in his ear. Robin gasped and nodded, as he let himself get pulled away. "Now you know why I want no others to touch her."

"Yes," Robin said, as he nodded. He shook his head and caught his breath. "I've never felt so...so...disoriented before! Never in my life!"

"I'm immune to the effects, since she's my wife. If she wasn't my wife, I'd be just like you," he said grimly. "In fact, it was tough when I first started kissing her! I was lucky that we were always interrupted. Anyways, you need to cool off and calm yourself. Take a walk. You need it."

"It's not a walk that I need!" Robin growled and forced the sensations down. He was incredibly dangerous right now, and Jericho knew it. "A walk. Fine. I'll be lucky if I can walk straight!"

"I'm not going to help you with that," Jericho grinned now. "I'm not even going to think about it. You'll live. Go for a walk."

"I'll likely see you when it's later in the day at the Tower. See you then," Robin said and walked out briskly. Ambrosia had kept her eyes lowered to her hands, and Jericho moved to lay in the bed with her. She knew how Robin reacted when he kissed her. A part of her was ready to give in to his wants. There was something about the way he was with her that seemed familiar. She didn't know why that was.

"Why did you tell him to do that?" she asked.

"So that he would understand that you are far more dangerous than me," Jericho frowned. "That's why. Love, your name means something else. You are a true nectar of the gods! Every time I taste you, kiss you, smell you...I go mad with desire!"

"And now he will do the same around me!" she frowned, as tears brimmed her eyes.

"He won't. He'll avoid it. With Starfire around, he'll make sure to. Now you see why I had him kiss you. So that he would be afraid of you. He'll be afraid of the sensations he felt when he kissed you just now! That was why I wanted him to kiss you. To make him hesitate," he said. She looked at him with surprise, and he kissed her hard. Now he was able to get his fill of her at his leisure.

Robin was in a completely different state of mind. He felt deprived. _Interrupted. I was so close to tasting something I shouldn't have experienced before!_  The scent of honey was on his breath. The taste of it was still on his tongue.  _I want more of it. I need more of it._  The sensation was even worse than the memory, and he realized that it only increased his desire for her by a tenfold.

"She's married to Jericho! I have Starfire! Get a grip on yourself, Robin!" he growled at himself. "Focus! Walk it out! I've been through worse scrapes than this, and I wasn't even in a fight!"

"Robin?" Raven asked, as she appeared by his side with the help of the shadows. "Is there something wrong? You're acting weird."

"I'm fine!" he said quickly and banged his head against a wall in frustration, as his fist pummeled it at the same time. "Argh! Okay. I'm not fine! I feel bad! Angry! Deprived!"

"What happened?" she asked with a frown.

"How good...is your sign language?" he grimaced.

"Good enough," she said. "Why?"

He took a deep breath to keep his hands from shaking, and he signed out the whole thing to her. She was pale and in complete shock. By the time he finished signing, she had pieced it all together.

"Now...you know why," he said.

"Yeah. I do. Jericho was smart," Raven mused now. "He made you feel the need to hesitate around Ambrosia. If you had the chance, would you kiss her again?"

"I...I'd be torn," he admitted.

"That's why he had you do it. To make you think of the consequences. To make you hesitate. Do you see now? His reason?" she asked carefully.

"I...yeah. I do!" he blinked and started to chuckle. "I honestly do!"

"Okay. Good. We need to go."

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"I need to finish what he started."

"What do you mean?"

"You guys go ahead. I'll meet up with you all tomorrow," he said. She was confused. Then her robe figured out his motives. Now she was clearly worried and very concerned.

"Robin! Just come back with us!" Raven warned. "What you want to do is dangerous!"

"He started it!" he growled. "I have to finish it!"

"And what would Starfire think?" Raven growled back.

"Starfire...I...dang it!" Robin grimaced and clenched a fist. He gasped and shivered now. The taste of Ambrosia's kiss was still lingering on his tongue. A wild, fiery need of desire hit him again.  _I need to cry. To scream. To vent my rage._ Something was pent up inside of him, and it was dangerous. He hadn't felt this bad since Slade forced him to be his apprentice long ago. He felt Raven's hand on his shoulder, and he seemed to slump with a form of defeat.

"Yeah, what Jericho did was downright cruel," she frowned. "But, he had his reasons for it."

"He said he hated to do it," he grimaced.

"I can believe that. You need to recollect your thoughts, Robin. Before Starfire sees you. Before anyone sees you. I think I have an idea."

"Tell me? I'll do practically anything at this point!"

"I'll send you back now. I have a moon crystal on me. Take a cold shower when you get there."

"A cold shower?"

"Yes. Trust me. Brush your teeth, too."

"Um...okay. I will," he nodded. Raven chuckled and sent him back to the Tower. The moment he got there, he went straight to his room to do as she suggested. In the shower, he seemed to gasp with a form of relief at the cooling effect on his skin. Deep breaths were taken, as he was able to refocus. He scrubbed himself clean and brushed his teeth to free the taste and scent of honey from his mouth. When it was gone, he decided to avoid anything that tasted and smelled like honey for now. _It was too risky for me._  When he heard the others moving around as they got back, he was able to smile and mutter, "Thanks, Raven. I owe you one. Okay. I'm fine now. I'm clean. I smell like myself. I'll be fine."

When he walked out, he paused at the jar of Fae honey that Beast Boy had in his face.

"Hey, Robin! Did you try this stuff yet?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Oh, come on!" Robin grimaced and walked right back into this room to slam the door and take another cold shower. Beast Boy had a puzzled look on his face, and Raven clucked her tongue at him.

"He had tried it before. It has...an odd effect on him now. Don't offer him anymore unless he asks. Okay?" Raven smirked.

"Is he going crazy again?" Beast Boy frowned.

"No. He's growing up. That's all," she sighed. "Like me with my training as a High Warlock."

"I'm confused," he said.

"That's not hard for you," she grinned and walked to her room. He scowled now.

"How's Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"He's taking another shower," she said.

"I didn't think he was that dirty!" he smirked.

"He wasn't. It's just something he needs," she shrugged.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"When he's ready, he'll come out," Raven said. "Trust him."

"Okay," she nodded and moved off to wait for him.

"Raven, what do you know?" Cyborg frowned.

"How good is your sign language?" Raven grinned.


	10. Chapter 10

Robin didn't come back out of his room until later that night. He needed to sleep, and he was able to do so. When he got up, he felt more like himself. His sleep schedule would be ruined until the new place was built. Until then, he had to go with it. He needed to eat, so he dressed and walked to the kitchen. He blinked, as he saw Starfire waiting for him. She had taken small naps as she waited, so she felt a bit refreshed, but she was clearly worried about him.

"Star? What's wrong?" he asked.

"I wish to ask you that, Robin," she frowned. "What happened to you?"

"I'm going to tell you something," he sighed and sat by her. "I'm not proud of it, but it had to be done. Are you ready?"

"Yes!" she said. "Please tell me! I worry so much now!"

"I kissed Ambrosia, because Jericho wanted me to!" he grimaced and ran a hand over his face. "I...so, yeah. That's why I was messed up when we got back. She didn't want it to happen!"

"But...why?!" Starfire gaped with shock.

"You...heard about what could happen during her pregnancy. Right?" he shivered.

"How she could desire another..." Starfire growled with jealousy.

"Yes. Jericho...he wants me to help protect her from that. He knows I won't give in now. He knows I'll have the strength to fight her off. I'll protect myself and protect her from others. That's why. I doubt it will ever happen. It's a safeguard. Starfire..."

"Do you not think I am special?" she trembled.

"Starfire, you're the only one for me!" he said. "You're the only one I want! You are what will help me be me! I..."

"Then why kiss someone else if I am the only one special to you?!" she demanded. Robin winced, got up and decided he wasn't hungry anymore.

"Because I'm in love with you, Starfire. I...want to marry you when all of this is over. So, yeah. I kissed Ambrosia. I did it to prove that I could be around her safely to help protect her. To help Jericho. To help the Fae race! I did it to prove to myself that I could withstand the effects."

"You...love me?" she blinked with surprise. Then she cleared her throat and said, "What effects, Robin? Did she poison you?"

"No. Her name, Ambrosia. It's also what they called the nectar of the gods. A special drink that filled both body and soul in one drop. I reacted to Beast Boy, because...well...her kiss tasted exactly like that honey. She smelled like that honey. She didn't even know it. She had no idea..."

"So...she didn't know herself, in that sense?" Starfire frowned.

"No, she didn't. I think Sinlus knew. I think every guy she's ever encountered knew this. It's probably why her parents never let her be alone with anyone, too, come to think of it. Jericho...he saw past all of that. Past her beauty. Past the incredible sensations she gives off. He saw her for herself. Through her memories. That's why he is needed for her. He's immune to her now. To a point that he's himself around her. But...with me...with anyone else...she's dangerous. He wanted me to see that. He wanted me to hesitate around her. To force myself to stop with everything I had! I'll admit this, Star. I...don't think I would have stopped when I kissed her. Jericho stopped me. Told me to back away. That I had enough. He told me to walk it off. I'm fine now..."

"How will you be around her?"

"Hesitant. Like he wanted."

"Do you...love her?"

"I see her as a friend, Star. Like I just said...I'm in love with you," he smiled at her.

"You will be my suitor?!" she gasped. She was forgetting about Ambrosia at this news, and he was going to help it along as much as he could.

"If you'll let me?" he smiled a bit more. She slammed into him with a happy shout, and he hugged her tight. Her shout woke up everyone and they ran over.

"Is something wrong?!" Cyborg asked, as he made it to them.

"Robin is my suitor!" Starfire beamed. "He wants to marry me!"

"Oh. We all knew that," Raven smiled.

"You all did?! And said nothing?!" Starfire gasped.

"He wanted to tell you himself when the time was right," Beast Boy grinned. "Anyways, um, Robin. Do you want to try some of that honey? The Fae honey?"

"No!" Robin and Starfire both said together.

"Dude! Don't snap at me! I was just asking," he shrugged.

"Beast Boy, you're the only one that doesn't know...so..." Raven sighed.

"You told Cyborg?!" Robin paled.

"Why not? I don't blab!" Cyborg said. Robin ran a hand over his face and gestured for Beast Boy to sit down. Very slowly, they informed him of what was going on.

"Oh! So  _that's_  why you reacted like that to the honey! Huh!" Beast Boy frowned.

"Yeah. That's why," Robin sighed miserably. "I really don't want to have any of that stuff until I know I'm fully okay."

"Well, you won't know unless you try," Beast Boy frowned. "Fae honey isn't like that."

"I know. I...well..." Robin sighed.

"You are hesitant," Starfire frowned. "At least, this is good honey. Right?"

"Yeah. It is. I'm hungry, anyways. Is it the strong stuff?" Robin asked.

"Yep! Very strong! A drop on the finger is all you need!" Beast Boy nodded and handed him the jar. The moment it was opened, the scent of the strong honey teased Robin's senses. He paused at first before taking a dab of it to put in his mouth. It filled his belly quickly to ease his hunger, but he gasped at the sensation that ran through him to leave the feeling of intense desire in its wake.

"Take it back! Now!" Robin growled, and the jar was closed quickly. It was given back, and Robin ran straight into his room to slam the door behind him. Starfire was gaping with surprise. They were all standing outside his door, so Robin was able to hear everything as he tried to refocus.

"Cross Fae honey off of his food list for now," Raven muttered.

"I don't care who pays me money! I am  _not_  kissing Ambrosia!" Cyborg said bluntly.

"I think that's what Jericho wanted, too," Beast Boy frowned. "He wanted to warn all of us about her. Of the things she can do without realizing it. Hmm..."

"Beast Boy? You have answers?" Starfire asked.

"What do you know?" Raven asked now.

"Ambrosia's been...sad. A lot lately," he admitted. "She's happy when Jericho is with her, but, the moment he leaves to do something, she gets scared. I didn't want to say anything, but, well...with how Robin is now, the sensation is even worse. I can sense it with her. Animal instincts, I guess. She's miserable. It's like Jericho is purposely trying to push everyone away from her. I know it's not intentional, and it's for our safety as well as hers, but...she's getting lonely again. He's making us afraid of her. She's becoming afraid of herself."

"That's...really deep!" Raven said, as she looked at the ground. "But, none of this is her fault."

"I know. But, she thinks it is now. She's a Queen with no family or followers to help her cope. She has no one other than Jericho. Yeah, she's going to have a kid, but she'll still feel lonely. She's been lonely for a thousand years. I don't even want to know what she did to pass the time, you know? Did she cry? Did she scream? Did she force herself to sleep? She's finally free, but she has...no one. She's an orphan like most of us. If we can't help her cope, and if she can't help us cope...how do we help her?

"Jericho is only one guy. And the kid will...well...he'll be a kid until he gets older, but he's not gonna stick around forever! She needs friends! She needs us! I just...feel bad for her. Her family was killed on her wedding day and birthday. How can we top that? We can't. I just don't want her to feel alone. We all felt alone at one point or another. We're the only friends she has now. She's not alone, but we can't tell her if Jericho is going to push us away. I wish we could tell her that she's not alone."

The others were in complete agreement now. None of them wanted Ambrosia to feel that she was alone. Robin was leaning back against his door, as he listened to everything Beast Boy said. It hurt him.  _How can we help her if we were being forced to be afraid of her?_ He brought up Elvey's memories and searched through each one crucially now. It was then that he discovered something that made more sense than he ever thought possible.

_Fae husbands were intensely possessive of their wives. Fae women only had kids once a year to every two years, and the pregnancy lasted for three months. The moment they were able to have kids again, they were guarded over like hawks. Jericho wanted_ nothing  _to happen to his wife. Ambrosia had confirmed that her own father would cancel all of his meetings with others just to be with her mother. Jericho was afraid that she could abort her pregnancy._

He tried to recall more memories and discovered something else.  _Elvey's wife did have a lover. When Elvey had to leave for battle, she needed someone there to help her cope without him until her third month of pregnancy. This one also had a wife, and the same thing was done for her. But, it was with Elvey. Fae husbands were known to swap wives?! To help them?_  The next thing he discovered shocked him to the core.  _Ambrosia's father was the one that helped Elvey's wife!_

"Amazing..." Robin grimaced. _It was only for the second month of pregnancy that such a thing was needed. Since Elvey and Tintagel were best friends, they had already made a pact to help each other when they couldn't be there for their wives. Jericho was trying to break that. But, in case something happened, he needed a backup plan. That was where I could come in. Someone he could see as a brother and be someone he could trust. Beast Boy could do it, but it would be harder for him to accept because of Beast Boy's attitude. He wasn't grown up enough to see the real reason as to why this was needed._

_Beast Boy did have his moments, but they were few and far between unless the situation was urgent. He proved that time and time again._ Going back to the memories of what he could recall, a Fae woman remained pregnant with their original mates' children.  _The comforting was needed only to ensure that all was well. There were no real feelings between the lovers. It was a sense of knowing duty to calm a dangerous instinct that endangered the Fae race. Jericho didn't want any others to be with his wife. He was purposely scaring us to buy him time to reach her!_

_Jericho was honorable in everything he did. He was a true Titan. He was doing something that caused himself pain, despite how much he hated it. Yes, there was a slim chance that I could give in to my desires._ Yet, he knew that Ambrosia would be trying to change his mind.  _Ambrosia must have known and didn't like any of it, either. She was also safeguarding her pregnancy, though._  Jericho told him in sign language that she brought it up. In the garden, she was even struggling to be free of Robin!  _She was trying to get out of the situation! She even healed my jaw!_

"Robin?" Starfire asked, as she knocked on the door.

"Give me a minute, Star!" Robin said, as he calmed himself down.  _I love Starfire._  He knew this. Then he trembled.  _I also love Ambrosia._  The memory that Sinlus botched up forced that to happen. He always did like Ambrosia, but the memory showed just how honorable and independent she could be. Robin knew he would help her, if she really started to suffer.  _Elvey and Tintagel didn't love each other's wives, and it made it easier on them this way._ It would be very different with him.  _It will be difficult. I am human. I'm not Fae._

He thought about Beast Boy and grimaced.  _I wasn't there to help break her curse, since Beast Boy knew that his story wouldn't have been believed. Jericho was able to free Ambrosia by seeing his memories._   _Now we're all paying the price for her freedom. Ambrosia didn't want this. She didn't want anyone endangered over her. Yet, we all knew the risks. The Titans helped others, despite the risks involved. Now we have an ancient evil probably lying in wait and plotting._ The suspense was horrifying. He put a hand to his chest and took a deep breath to refocus.

When he walked out, his face was grim. He moved to the main viewing screen and looked over the city scape. He had to force himself to think about other things right now. It wasn't going to last long.

"Dude..." Beast Boy frowned.

"Robin?" Starfire asked.

"I'll be okay," Robin said with a sigh. "I just had a lot to think about."

"Care to tell us?" Cyborg asked.

"If I do, don't hate me. Don't hate Jericho. Don't hate Ambrosia. Understand?!" he growled.

"Why would we hate you?" Raven frowned. "Or Jericho and Ambrosia?"

"Elvey and Tintagel weren't just comrades in arms. They were also supporters for each other's wives," Robin sighed. Cyborg's jaw dropped. Beast Boy's eyes went wide. Starfire and Raven gave small grimaces of shock. "Jericho knew this. I think. I have to ask him. I'm sure Ambrosia did. Jericho doesn't want Ambrosia to be with anyone other than him. He made me hesitant to buy him enough time to reach her. He...trusts me as a brother. Like Elvey did with Tintagel. In case you all forgot, Tintagel was the name of Ambrosia's father.

"Beast Boy, he trusts you, too. Just don't expect anything."

"Um...wow. Okay. Don't worry about me!" Beast Boy said quickly.

"Good. Starfire, you are the only one for me. I know this. Everyone knows this. Jericho has a lot riding on his shoulders with this pregnancy. Aelfric is being reborn as his son. He was a  _very_  powerful guy before he died, and his rebirth will give him back his powers, but he'll remember nothing. It will be rare for Ambrosia to have kids, so Jericho's doing everything that he can to make sure her pregnancy thrives. I'm sure he'll rip anyone to pieces if they interfere, too. When she has the baby, everything will be fine and settle down. She won't need the constant protection anymore, and I'm sure that others can be around her safely. At least, I think so. There's a part of me that really isn't sure.

"I heard what you said, Beast Boy. It made a lot of sense, and it's not fair to her that she has to feel lonely. It's why Jericho doesn't want to be away from her. He's trying to keep that feeling away. But it's tough. He's only one guy. He's the only one that knows what to do, other than me. It's why he gave me the memories that were needed so he could stay with her. He had me kiss her as a safeguard. To show that, if something really went bad, I could help with her pregnancy. Other than make me hesitant around her, and that's why it had to be done," Robin sighed. "Any other Titan might give in. I have willpower. I can resist. I didn't know what to expect at first, but now I do."

"But, there is a chance you could slip," Raven frowned.

"I know. So does Jericho," Robin said grimly. "But, it's a chance we have to take. It's a battle all the way around. We can't afford to have her lose a pregnancy. Not this one. Not any one."

"So many Fae have died already," Starfire frowned.

"That's why I have to take the chance, Star," Robin sighed.

"Did Tintagel and Elvey love each other's wives?" Cyborg asked.

"No. It was all duty with them. Keep the race alive. Love their own families and kids. What Sinlus did was an outrage! He murdered over three thousand Fae lives! You saw that mound of bodies that we had to put on that funeral pyre! Who knows how many more were killed while Ambrosia was trapped? If he gets reborn, another mass murder will happen. I'm almost sure of that. It could be more Fae, or even humans at this point! Even as a spirit, he's dangerous. We all know what he can do. What he already tried to do.

"I honestly think there's more to Ambrosia than we all know. Maybe more than what she knows about herself. From what Elvey's memories show, she is the only one that has ever affected anyone like this. She was sealed away for over a thousand years and was forced to make the choice to marry the wrong man each time she came out. She suffered so much for it, and it wasn't fair to her! Jericho is the right man for her. The crowns they wear fully accepted each other. Come to think of it...hmm. Now that's interesting," he frowned. "Why didn't I see that before?"

"What is?" Raven asked. "What didn't you see?"

"Ambrosia's crown. Her mother's crown. It was passed down for generations. Now the crown found its true mate. That was Aelfric's crown. Of course, the crown won't need to get passed down anymore! There is no need for it!" Robin blinked.

"Which means...?" Cyborg asked.

"Tintagel and Elvey. They knew something! That was why they agreed to do what they had to do! To ensure that, no matter what happened to them, one of their crowns would be ready to be with the others' crown! At least, I think..." Robin frowned and now moved for his communicator. "I only got the strategic memories and none of the personal ones, so there isn't really much I can go off of. I gotta talk to Jericho about this. He'll know more about what I'm thinking about. Um...Star..."

"It is okay, Robin. We will monitor the city and the grove!" Starfire nodded. "I trust you."

"Thanks," he smiled. The others nodded and moved off to do what they needed to do. He walked into his bedroom to lock the door to ensure his privacy in this conversation. In Ireland, Ambrosia was sleeping on Jericho's chest, and he had his eyes closed in comfort. When the communicator went off, he was a touch surprised. He reached over to flip it open and answer it.

"Jericho here," he said, as he answered it. "Robin? What's going on?"

"Can you see my hands clearly?" Robin asked.

"Yes. Something wrong?" he asked.

"It's too much for me to say. Signing is actually faster," Robin said. Jericho nodded and watched his hands, as everything was told to him. What happened when he got back. The discussion with Starfire. What he heard from Beast Boy after he was still affected by the honey. Then what he found out and discovered. Jericho was floored. He completely missed the memories.

"You're right! I...hmm," Jericho grimaced. "I didn't even study those memories!"

"What do you think about the crowns?" Robin asked.

"It's a very strong validation. You may be onto something. As for the pregnancies for Ambrosia's mother...I didn't even realize...wow..."

"So, you had no idea?"

"None! But, Ambrosia...she knew! Oh...she was sworn to secrecy. She saw something she shouldn't have. It was Elvey..."

"With her mother. Yeah. That's why she got so upset about me asking if a lover was possible. I feel like dirt!" Robin growled. "It also explains why she knew. Her mother told her."

"A hidden Fae secret. Something only shared with those that are supposed to know to safeguard the Fae race," Jericho nodded with a grim look. "I'm sure her brothers and sisters were told when they got married off. Sinlus must have known something, too."

"I'm sure of it at this point!"

"So...everyone in your team understands what I did and why?"

"Starfire had a bit of a fit, but she's okay now. We all value Ambrosia's safety."

"I don't mean for her to feel lonely. I just...I want her to be safe..."

"We all do. I want to suggest something. It won't be easy for any of us..."

"Nothing ever is now," Jericho sighed. "What is it?"

"I should finish what I started with Ambrosia," Robin said sternly.

"What?!" he growled.

"I'm sure you have an idea of how you felt when you kissed Ambrosia for the first time!" Robin argued. "Yeah, regardless, I'm going to be fighting off every known sensation. But, if it starts to slip, what are we going to do about it? Elvey and Tintagel both knew this and understood this."

"And what would Starfire think?"

"I don't know..." Robin admitted. "I love her. I do. I mean...every time I smell or taste honey, I feel like I need a cold shower now!"

"You...ouch..." Jericho winced. "You know that, if you go through with this, you'll want more. Right? That's what Ambrosia does to me all the time. I may be immune to her effects outside of the bedroom, but you have  _no idea_  what I go through  _in_  the bedroom!"

"Huh?"

"Do you know how the facts of life work?" Jericho asked now.

"Of course, I do!"

"Ever experience it first hand?"

"Well...no..." Robin blushed.

"What do you think is so pent up in your body, Robin? You will lose yourself with Ambrosia. You'll discover really fast what everything is all about!"

"Maybe I need to know this so that I'll know what to do for Star," he frowned. Jericho groaned and shook his head. "I don't know what I'm really fighting around Ambrosia."

"You're fighting against the want to be with her! You see how I am with her as my wife! You'll be wanting to do the same thing! To always be alone with her! I just...ugh...no! I can't allow it!"

"Then how am I supposed to help her?!"

"You keep her calm while I try to get to her. You don't want to taste her anymore! You don't need to be with her! I just need her calm until I can reach her! I don't want my wife to have another man at her side while I'm away! I don't need to know that someone else is with her!"

"I've come to care about her, too, you know," Robin sighed. "I don't want her to lose her pregnancy. It's why I've come to reason with everything now. I love Starfire. I want to marry her. But, I don't want the Fae to lose another child, either! This is why I'm saying I should finish what you had me start. I'll know the warning signs better, and I'll be able to manage myself better!"

"Then we agree to disagree, Robin," Jericho said, as he shook his head. "I cannot let you touch my wife like that. The kiss was a mistake. I see that now."

"Love," Ambrosia said, as she gazed at him.

"Ambrosia! Ah...how long were you listening?" Jericho blinked.

"I heard everything," she said, as she sat up and took the communicator from him. "Robin, I know what you are saying. As much as I hate to say this..."

"Please, Ambrosia, I'm just looking out for your safety, too!" Robin said.

"Ambrosia, you know we can't let him do this," Jericho sighed.

"I agree with Robin," she said calmly. Jericho looked at her with his jaw dropped. Robin was just as speechless on the other end. "Jericho, dear, you had him kiss me. He's suffering from it. Not only will this stop his suffering, but it will show that I can trust him as much as you trust him. It will help ease his mind and bring him a form of peace! It will also prove to me that, if you are unavailable, I don't have to worry. I can be calm. Yes, I won't like it. But, it's for our son! It's for Aelfric! If it doesn't happen again, then fine. It won't. But, Robin is our ally. I will not see our alliance crumble over me!"

"Darling..." Jericho winced.

"I have no one else to turn to, Jericho!" Ambrosia whimpered, and he hugged her. "Everyone I've ever known has been killed! If you die...what will become of me? It scares me!"

"Ambrosia..." Robin sighed grimly, as she was letting out her thoughts.

"I love you, Jericho. You are my life mate. But, if you aren't there for my second month of pregnancy and something goes wrong...who can I turn to?" she whimpered again. "Who can I trust?"

"All right, Robin," Jericho muttered. "It's approaching dusk. Get over here. Quickly."

"On my way," he nodded, and the communicator went out.

"I really hope you know what you're doing," Jericho sighed.

"I feel this is right," she nodded. He kissed her desperately and clung to her.

"This was the last thing I wanted to happen. I had him kiss you to convince him that he would never be able to help you in that way. To push him away..."

"Love, you gave him both Aelfric's and King Elvey's memories. What did you expect to happen? That he would not act on what he already knew or felt? Yes, you gave him many tactical memories, but, even in memories, their personal thoughts are there for him to feel and know. He is suffering so much now! I can heal him this way, and I will know that I can trust him, too."

"I...you're right. I opened up a nice can of worms, and now I have to close it. At least I know that...hopefully...this won't happen again. It will make him stronger around you and ease his mind..."

"You are the only one that can give me children, love. That is all that matters to me."

He could only force a nod. Then he thought and mused at something, as he muttered, "Maybe we can glamour him. You know? Make him think everything was a wild dream. A nice little daydream. This way he can keep the secret of being with you from the others. I know he'll realize it was all real when the time does come for him to protect you, but...well, for now..."

"To keep Starfire calm, yes. I can see that. But, Raven will sense something. She has a High Warlock's robe on. She will not be happy, if Robin is enchanted. Hmm. Maybe I can have him figure it out on his own. A mild glamour, but just enough to make it indecisive at first. That something happened, but he can't figure it out right away. Raven won't catch it this way, since Robin will show that everything is fine and that nothing is wrong. It won't take too much strength from me to do. Robin will eventually figure it out and realize why it was done. He could be told why, and he would remember agreeing to it," she thought. Jericho thought about this and nodded to her. _Raven would be able to detect any strong spells done to her friend, and I don't want to lose her trust._

"Maybe I'll talk to Raven. Then again, I don't want her to talk to any others," he sighed. "Anyways, Robin is going to be here at any second. He'll reek of honey when he gets back there."

"Then I'll wait for him in the bath," she said. He blinked at her and could only sigh. He hated the fact that another was going to be touching his wife. He hated it like crazy.  _But, it was to protect her pregnancy from being aborted._ He was stuck with everything no matter how he tried to look at it.

"I'm at a stalemate no matter what. All right. Hurry. He won't have much time until they start looking for him," he nodded. She kissed her husband fiercely, and he responded to her with a low growl. She got up quickly before he could reach for her, and he trembled. _I'll have to scrub her clean of Robin's scent, anyways, when she was done with him. A bath was actually really smart._

A flash of light from Robin's moon crystal was seen, and he was surprised that he appeared in the bedroom. Jericho pointed to the bathroom curtains that were just beyond the bedroom threshold.

"I have about an hour," Robin said.

"Don't say anything. Just do what needs to be done," Jericho muttered. "And try not to enjoy it too much. Remember. This is only to safeguard her pregnancy and to fix you up for good."

"No feelings. I know," he nodded. He walked into the bathroom, and the heavy curtains closed behind him. Robin looked around and found the place steamy and smelling of perfumed roses. He looked at the giant golden tub with elaborate engravings and paused. _She was already in it, and her hair was loose._ She was cocooned in the heavy strands of silver with gold highlights, and her form was molded within them. She was brushing her hair out in the water, and he swallowed.

"Robin?" she turned her fantastic, deep blue gaze to his face.

"Ambrosia..." he whispered. Her beauty struck him like a sack of bricks.

"Can you...help me take a bath?" she asked. He shivered with a sense of desire.

"A bath?" he asked, as he tried to keep focus.

"I can't wash my hair all the way through. It's far too long for me," she frowned. He was about to move into the water, and she gave a tinkling giggle.

"What is it?" he asked.

"With your clothes on? In the water?" she giggled again. "Humans are funny!"

"Ah...oh..." he blushed. "Right. A bath..."

"Look. If you don't want to do this, you can walk out right now. I understand," she smiled. He looked at her again, and his heart started to pound in his ears. He couldn't leave if he tried.

"Do I have to remove the mask?" he asked. Then he blinked. _Why did I ask that?!_

"No. It will be my hair being washed. Not yours. Right?" she smiled again.

"I'm just...going to wash your hair..." he shivered with a nod. "Okay..."

She nodded, and he slipped out of his clothes to settle in the steamy water. She handed him the slender, gold brush, and he started to work with the long locks. He pulled one up to his face to free it of the brush bristles, and he paused.  _Her hair smelled like honey and roses._  His breath quickened, and he forced the sensations aside.  _I can do this! I can wash her hair and show that nothing could happen! I can..._

"Can you wash my skin?" she asked.

"Your skin?" he asked. She handed him the bar of rose-scented soap, and now he moved his hands over her arms to lather them. Her skin was soft and warm under his touch. It felt like warm honey was playing under his hands. _It was welcoming to me._  He gasped and refocused.  _I have to keep from touching her!_ She let him rinse her arms off with a small splash, and she chuckled.

"You got some soap on your nose! Hold on. I'll get it for you," she smiled and reached forward to lightly brush it off. The scent of her honeyed skin was so close that it caught him off guard, and his head spun.  _I have to refocus! I have to think of something else!_ When he finally recollected his thoughts, her fingers brushed another bit of soapy water away from his mouth, and his tongue moved over his lips subconsciously.  _Honey. The taste of her fingers was exactly like honey. Heavy and rich with an aftertaste of vanilla. It was nothing like the dense Fae honey at all!_  She had a natural sweetness that he needed. It was the same honey he tasted in her kiss. He craved it now more than ever before.

He gave a small cry and pulled her close to kiss her hard to get the taste he needed. He started to gasp for breath, as his tongue moved to deepen the kiss to get even more of the honey he needed. He was drinking in her taste in actual swallows. He was absorbing her scent. He was relishing in the feel of her touch now.  _This honey will cure me._  He knew it would heal his mind and body at last.  _I need more of it! So much more! What more was there for me to do?_  The sound of her soft, pleading gasps made his movements more frantic to pull her closer.  _How much closer could I even try to be?_  Her arms moved around his neck, and her hands moved up into his hair, as her body pressed harder against his. The scent, taste, and feel of her destroyed any focus he thought he had. He lost the battle right after that and gave in to what his body desperately needed, as a far more natural instinct took over.

Jericho sighed, as he heard the small cry, and he checked the time.  _He lasted five minutes. That was actually longer than most humans!_   _So, I will have five minutes more to reach her before the desire caved in._  That gave him a full ten minutes he could be away from her during her second month.

"Good job, Robin," he mused softly in the bed. "Hopefully, this will help you strengthen your resolve around her even more. We can only hope."

He let thirty minutes slip by before he got up to put on a robe and move into the bathroom. Robin was gasping in the tub with her clinging to his chest. He had his arms around her and seemed to be protecting her now. He looked up and sighed at who it was.

"I didn't expect that..." Robin admitted, as he focused on catching his breath.

"Now you know. You'd better get dried off and dressed. You may even want to shower when you get back to use your usual soaps. Just to be safe," Jericho said.

"I don't think I want Beast Boy to experience this," he frowned. "I doubt he'll survive."

"You may be right. Oh, Robin, there is something I'm going to tell you," Jericho said, as he watched Robin set Ambrosia aside tenderly to leave the tub to dry off and dress.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm going to put a small glamour on you. Everything you just did will seem like a wild, crazy, wonderful daydream. It's just to help you cope. You'll know why it was done when you figure out why you thought it was a dream. It's mainly for Starfire," Jericho muttered.

"Star...all right. So that she doesn't flip out. Got it. And I'll remember you said this, right?" he asked. "So that I don't throttle you for making me forget about this?"

"Yes. You will remember everything we discussed as to why it was done. After you realize that the dream was real, of course. It will help you with your thoughts and actions. Ambrosia wanted to do this, but I'll do it for her. I don't want her using her strength, since she has to work on the grove. If this happens again...I'm sure that everything will be fine. This is just to ensure everyone's safety and trust. Are you ready?" Jericho asked, as he stared at his new best friend. When Robin nodded, he stared back into Jericho's green eyes and everything seemed to shimmer around him. When he came back around, he was standing in his room and shaking hard.  _Did I dream all of that just now?! That whole dream with Ambrosia? Just by standing in my room?_ He felt sweaty and out of breath.

"I need another shower!" Robin growled. "What...happened to me?"

He tried to think about what happened to make sense of it all.  _I talked to Jericho and Ambrosia over the communicator. Things got fuzzy after that._   _Was I really with Ambrosia in a tub?! In her bathroom? Maybe it was just my senses going haywire from everything that was happening around me._  He knew he was craving something about her, but all he could recall was that it was honey.  _A sweet honey that seemed to help me and heal my mind._   _It was so real!_ Then again, he hadn't been dreaming right lately from all the memories. _It could have all been a dream from my odd sleeping habits now._ He could see how a strong memory could have dazed him. Made him feel things he never felt before.  _Maybe this was one of those?_  He wasn't sure.

He felt relaxed, though, oddly enough as it was.  _As though something within me was finally sated just enough to let me think again._ He felt calmer and more in control. He felt more like himself after so long. He hadn't felt this way since Jericho gave him the memories. Since he met Ambrosia, as he recalled now. He showered again and felt even better. As he dressed in another fresh suit, it was as though nothing was wrong. He gathered up the dirty suit to be cleaned, and he paused at a long strand of gold-tinted silver hair that was caught in the threads of the cape. He carefully pulled the six foot long strand out and mused over it.  _I was holding her in the garden, so I could have picked it up then._   _But, why did it smell of roses? It also had the lingering scent of honey. A sweet honey that no other honey that I know of possessed..._

That sent a shiver of desire through him, and he grimaced. He couldn't let Starfire see it. He couldn't destroy it, either. Fae hair held magical properties if used correctly. Even a single strand like the one he held could be useful. This one naturally broke off on him. It signaled something, usually. Something of great importance happened, and now he had to figure it out. He carefully bundled the strand in on itself and put it in one of his secret dresser drawers. He'll have to think on it later. _Right now, we have to meet up with Jericho and Ambrosia to make the grove habitable._  This was far more important and now his current goal.  _The sooner it was done, the sooner everyone could start sleeping right._

"Robin? Are you all right?" Starfire asked, as he walked out of his room.

"I am," he smiled softly. "I feel...more like myself now. I think all those showers finally worked out for me. I haven't been sleeping right, either, from all the traveling back and forth. That could have done it, too. Anyways, we have a castle to make. Jericho wants us to meet up with him first so that we can make sure we have everything we need. Is everyone ready?"

"You...really do look better! More like my Robin!" she smiled. He blushed at her, and she hugged him tight. "Cyborg and Beast Boy are ready. Raven has just finished meditating. We are all ready to do this with you."

"Good," he nodded. She beamed after him and followed him to the main room.

"Robin?" Raven asked, as she walked over.

"Hey!" he grinned.

"You look better. Sound better, too," she smiled.

"Yeah. I took another shower. It really helped! I finally feel like things have settled down in my head. Anyways, we gotta get moving. We have a short window of time and it's starting to close," Robin said. "Titans! Are we ready to move?!"

"He's back!" Beast Boy said happily.

"He sure is!" Cyborg grinned. "I was getting scared for a bit."

"Nah! I'm fine! I told you all it would pass!" Robin chuckled.

"Good thing," Raven nodded. She blinked at a feeling her robe gave her and now she thought. "Robin, when you talked to Jericho just now in your room...did anything happen?"

"No. Not that I know of. Why?" he asked.

"Oh. My robe sensed something. But, if you say you're fine..." she frowned.

"I am. I haven't felt this good in a long time! I honestly think that everything is finally back to normal with me. Seriously," he nodded. "I'm good."

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure," she said with a shrug. He wondered why she would think of something like that.  _And her robe sensed something?_ He remembered the strand of hair he found and thought about the dream again. He showed nothing was wrong, as he moved about to prepare for the jump to Ireland, but something kept nudging his mind about the dream he had. He thought and remembered something that Elvey would do to ensure his mind was clear of distractions and odd magic. He focused, as he moved, but now he paused slightly with a bit of shock when the glamour was cleared from his mind.

_The dream. It was real. I was with Ambrosia. I gave in to my desires._ All of it came back in crystalline clarity.  _The bathroom. The tub. The feel of her against me. Everything. It was all real!_  He figured it out by using Elvey's mental clarity check. Now he remembered that Elvey would glamour those that didn't need to know things. It was a mild glamour, but it was a glamour that was put on him.  _To make me temporarily forget._ A fist was made, but then he paused again. _The reason I was lightly enchanted. It was for Starfire._   _To keep her calm and to make sure I was focused again._

_Ambrosia healed my mind with her body. She strengthened my resolve around her. She really cares about our friendship._   _She trusted me, and Jericho did, too. Jericho wouldn't let just anyone touch his wife in such a manner. Ambrosia needed to trust someone in her time of need, too. She couldn't be lonely and in a state of weakness._  Robin put a hand to his chest and sighed.  _I really do love her._  Not as much as Starfire, but it was enough to know that he would never want to see her hurt.  _She took a plunge to heal my mind and body back to rights. She knew I needed it. And she was well aware of the price it cost to do such a thing._ He'd have to think of it later when he knew it was safe to do so.

"I have to thank her..." he muttered to himself. "Later on. Maybe when I get there."

_She helped me recover. Her name really spoke the truth. She was a purifying, healing nectar by herself. I don't want anyone else to taste her. To feel her. To smell her. I can't let Beast Boy near her now. I can't risk it. In animal form and when they worked together would be fine. But, any other time, she would be watched...like a hawk._   _That was what Jericho meant! He knew what Ambrosia could do! Jericho was trying to warn me. If anyone found out about her true healing powers..._

"Robin! We are ready with the leaving!" Starfire beamed at him.

"Okay! Let's go!" he smiled. He wanted to waste no more time.  _Sinlus knew what Ambrosia was capable of just by looking at her. He sensed her inner power. Her mother's crown knew it, too. That crown brought out her true healing ability in full._   _But, why Ambrosia?_  He needed more memories and only Jericho could give them over. He grinned, as he knew that Jericho was going to throw a fit.

In Ireland, Jericho had sated himself with Ambrosia, and they were finishing up on dressing.

"That was quick!" he mused.

"What was, dear?" she frowned.

"Robin figured a way out of the glamour."

"Already?! I...how?!"

"I'm not sure. He does have the memories of Elvey. It was only a matter of time. I felt the spell lift just now. I'm sure he'll want to speak with me for some answers, but at least he won't be pissed."

"You think?"

"I do. Don't worry, love. He does care about you. That will be something that he will hold in high regard. It was only obvious with how he was with you. How did you feel with him?"

"I felt...hmm. Much like how you are with me, actually! I felt cared for. Worshiped. Guarded. Almost as though...well...call it a hunch, I think, but, where you gained strengths in magic from the memories of your crown, he gained in physical strength. The two of you are two halves of a whole now."

"I see what you mean. It would explain a lot!" he blinked. "Why I feel I can trust him. Why I chose to have him receive the memories. Also why I would rather have him watch over you than Beast Boy in your second month. I wonder if Elvey and Tintagel were the same..."

"What?"

"If I know Robin, he'll seek us out. Me, in particular, for some answers. I'll know more then, and I'll tell you what I know. I promise," he smiled. She nodded, and he kissed her gently. He pressed his forehead to hers, and their crowns shimmered happily. It was the second time they did this, and they blinked at it. _Soul mated crowns._  The first time they did it, it was just to prove how much they loved each other. They didn't realize that it meant far more. At this touch, it was a far more intense feeling. They felt a form of joy when this happened, and they knew they would be doing it a lot more frequently. They both chuckled, and he rested a hand on her belly.

She had gotten ill right after Robin left. It was from her pregnancy, so there wasn't much he could do about it. She seemed a lot more at ease now.  _She knew she had someone she could trust if something went wrong._  He never realized how important that was for her.  _This was why Fae women took lovers, but most of them had them for the wrong reasons. Ambrosia had fought the idea until the safety of her pregnancy came to light. She didn't want a multitude of men. She only needed one that she could turn to if I couldn't reach her in time. That was all she really wanted and needed._

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he smiled and kissed her fully. Her honey taste was slight right now. It was what made him immune to it. There were times he craved her, and there were times he just needed her as his wife. Right now, she was his wife.  _My life mate._ He didn't need her to be anything more to him.

A sharp knock on the door made him look up with a frown. On answering it, he found Robin standing there with his arms over his chest.

"Robin?" Ambrosia said softly.

"Hey. We're here. I just thought I'd tell you both personally. And...Ambrosia...thank you. For healing me. I know it took a lot for you to do, but my mind is calmed again. I feel like myself again. The glamour...yeah. I understand why it was done. Starfire is happy that I'm normal, and so are the others," he said gently. "Although, Jericho, you're going to hate my guts."

"Why is that?" he grinned.

"I want the rest of the memories you have," Robin frowned. "I need them all."

"No. You can't have them!" Jericho growled.

"Wait, love. Robin, why do you think this is necessary?" she asked.

"Because of you. That's why. There's something that's not adding up about you. I know you were born this way. I know you have no control over it. But, there's something more to you. Sinlus knew this! I need his memories, the rest of Elvey's memories, and Aelfric's memories. Also...I know this would be near impossible to do, but we should try to restore Tintagel's crown to see if there are any memories of his that we need," he said. Ambrosia gasped painfully, and Jericho gaped.

"Are you mad?! Okay, I can see to the memories I have now, but Tintagel's crown?! It's dead! It can't be brought back to life! And, if it did, it would need to be placed on someone's brow to keep it alive! Once a crown is made, if it wasn't worn, it can be dormant. But, if it's being passed to another after being worn, a King must be crowned right away or the crown will die! Tintagel's crown broke into pieces to show it died. If it was reformed, it would need to be crowned on a King immediately! Even then it's risky. A dead crown being brought back is rare enough, as it is! Most of the time, it doesn't survive. It doesn't have the strength to bond properly."

"Then you can use my brow, and Starfire will be my Queen," Robin said. Ambrosia was in complete shock. Jericho was shaking his head at this.

"You would need to marry her first, Robin. She would need to agree to everything! If she says no even once, then the crown will stay dead. It may even corrupt you! It was ripped off of Tintagel's head in his death throws! It could cause you pain! Do you have any idea what you are asking for? And you may even need the healing of my wife again to settle your mind! Even if I gave you the rest of the memories, you would need her help again! You are asking for too much!" Jericho growled. "Dead crowns stay dead for this reason!"

"Then maybe we can make a duplicate?" Robin asked.

"Ah...please..." Ambrosia winced, as the room spun. Jericho grimaced and carried her into the bathroom to get sick. Robin walked in after them and paused. The scent of honey and roses assaulted his senses, and he forced himself to think past it.

"You lasted five minutes," Jericho sighed. "Do you think you can last longer?"

"Only five minutes?!" Robin gaped. "I thought it was longer than that!"

"Nope. Five minutes," he grinned. "Here, love."

"Thank you, dear," she sighed and rinsed out her mouth. He carried her back out, and Robin was quick to follow. His head cleared, and he shivered.

"I need to see to the others. Herald is charging up more moon crystals. Kid Flash and Mas y Menos were able to start harvesting moon crystals. They are traveling all over the world to stick to the timeline of harvest. Herald has also been helping them with transportation to be faster when they had to go overseas. They're working hard," Robin chuckled. "But, I still want those memories."

"We'll discuss it after the grove is built. Okay? No more stress for Ambrosia," Jericho frowned.

"Agreed. I'll see you in the main square," he said. He gave a soft smile at her and left.

"Jericho, can you sense it from him, too?" she asked.

"Sense what, love?" he asked.

"He loves me."

"I..." he winced. "I know. As long as he keeps the words in his mouth, you'll be fine."

"He will. But...he does. I never told you this...but...King Elvey loved my Mother. I heard him voice it," she shivered. He looked at her with shock. "I'm not sure if that was the real reason as to why he died. My Father did know, I think, and they kept it a big secret, but I'm sure someone found out and word was spread. Sinlus had taken on the task to help in order to gain favor with the Seelie Court. No King can ever love another King's Queen. And...well..."

"Darling? Do you know something that we don't?" he frowned. "If you do, I need to know!"

"Love, think back on why I had vowed to say nothing," she said carefully. He thought over her memories now, and then he blinked. Now he paled and shook. He crushed her to him, as he continued to shake.  _This was why she was as she was?! This was why she was born like this?!_

"You...are the product of a forbidden pregnancy?!" he gasped.

"I am the result...of two Kings and a Queen," she whimpered. "I knew! But I could say nothing! I...I...had vowed...not to say...a single thing...!"

"Oh, Ambrosia!" he grimaced and hugged her tighter. Then another horrific fact came to his attention, and his eyes went wide with disbelief. "That meant...that Aelfric was your half-brother! Elvey knew this! That means that Sinlus found out and used it against him..."

"What?! No! I was told...he was not...! That Aelfric was from...another Queen's King...!"

"No. That was a lie. Sinlus must have known. It was likely why Aelfric was killed."

"But, what he did was wrong!" she cried and sobbed in his neck. "He had...no right...to kill my...family! He wanted me...for himself...because of what I was! I didn't...know...that Aelfric...was my kin! Not...until now! I was told... that he was not related to me! That he was...someone brought into the marriage...by another Fae King! I loved him...so much...and...and..."

"Well, I am not related to you!" he growled, as he continued to hug her. "Our wedding is justified! Sinlus can't do anything to us!"

"But, he can try...if Robin takes my Father's crown..." she shivered, and he gasped at this. "It may be possible...to see memories...but..."

"The crown cannot ever be worn. It would be seen as a tainted crown and would need to be destroyed. I see. We need to tell him. I need to tell him. I need to tell everyone about this! The Unseelie Court...they planned to make you something of theirs if Sinlus had a wedding with you, I think. To use your exotic powers and beauty for their gains. If Sinlus was born from you even now...we can't let that happen. We can't risk it," he growled. She could only nod, and he hugged her again while his mind raced in thought from the memories that assaulted his mind.  _This explained so much now! All of the pieces of the puzzle finally fit in place! Aelfric never knew this, though. His father never told him. How could he?_

_Did Ambrosia even know that Aelfric was her half-brother? No. She was told that he wasn't. That he was from a different family line and was adopted into Elvey's family by a Queen that gave birth to him. That she was impregnated by another at the time of her wedding to Elvey. That he knew of this and accepted Aelfric as his son and single heir. It was an impossible story and theory to tell, but Elvey had a way with his words to make everything believable. Elvey lied to his own son about being his own flesh and blood to preserve the forbidden secret! How many more secret plots were there?!_

_It was also why Aelfric was a rare single child. Elvey loved Ambrosia's mother so much that he couldn't bear to be with another woman again. Even his own wife. Whenever she was ready for children, he was suddenly unavailable and off fighting a battle. By the time he got back, it was too late. The window to make a child was missed. His Queen thought nothing of it, since Elvey had warned her that battles happened all the time with him at random. He loved her, and he protected her with everything he had. He simply couldn't give himself to her as she wanted him to._

_Tintagel was trying to protect Aelfric by having him wed his half-sister after Elvey died. If the wedding succeeded, then neither Courts couldn't have done a thing. Ambrosia would have been even further protected by being married off. The crowns would have been mated, and mated crowns are few and far between. Tintagel knew something._   _But, were there hidden memories in her crown?_  He'd have to ask her later. Right now they had to make a new castle.

He kissed her passionately and full of gentle tenderness. He straightened out her gown of soft gold and made sure her hair was in place.  _She had to be kept calm._  When she was able to be led out of the bedroom, he took her to the others.

"What took so long?" Robin frowned. Then he saw their faces. "What happened?!"

"Gather everyone, and I'll tell you all," Jericho said. All of the Titans there were rounded up, and Jericho kept his eyes on the ground as he told them of Ambrosia's newly discovered history. When he was finished, Ambrosia was being hugged tightly to him to keep her calm. Robin was in a furious state of mind. Beast Boy was completely floored at what he heard.

"Ambrosia is the result of two Kings and a Queen?!" Aqualad gaped.

"How is that even possible?!" Bumblebee asked.

"You would think that they both would have had to be with her mother at the same time..." Speedy frowned. "But...I mean...what does this mean?"

"She has been the target of the Unseelie Court since her birth," Jericho muttered. "That's what it means. She has extraordinary healing powers, intense beauty, a caring personality..."

"She is the way a Fae should truly be," Robin shuddered. "In a way, this is why many covet her. They would use her to their advantage. She is just...the perfect Fae."

"How would they use our friend?!" Starfire fumed.

"She has powerful empathy on everything. Do you all notice how you are all concerned for her well-being right now? She can sway the minds of anyone around her without even realizing it. It's why Sinlus cursed her like he did. The Unseelie Court could have used her to gain favor with others. All she had to do was agree with what her husband wanted, and the others would follow suit," Jericho grimaced.

"Now I see why Aelfric felt shamed when she slapped him," Robin sighed.

"Exactly," Jericho swallowed. "It's also why Beast Boy can feel her so easily as a human and as an animal. It's why he was able to free her from the curse with me. He heard her weeping when no other animals could, and I gave him a chance to prove that his story was true. I...believed him, anyways, by how he was talking to me. I knew he was being serious."

"And Sinlus? He's still out there! As a ghost!" Beast Boy growled.

"The crystals are blocking him, though. Aren't they?" Cyborg frowned. Raven was thinking hard. Her robe was actually unsure of what to make of all this. _It was all truth._

"For now, they are," Jericho nodded. "The same thing will need to be done to the new castle when it's made. We need to go now."

"It's daylight there. Will this work? Or will it need to be done at night?" Herald asked.

"If you keep the moon showing for her, then we can make it work," Jericho said.

"Aelfric was her half-brother, and he never knew. He couldn't know!" Robin grimaced.

"She never knew, either," Jericho sighed. "Not until now."

"Elvey and Tintagel risked the purity of a whole race by trying to get them married..." Robin hissed. "I mean...why? For what reason?"

"I think...memories can be gleaned from my Father's crown. But...the crown should never be worn as a precaution," Ambrosia sighed.

"You're right," Robin agreed. "It's probably why it was killed, too. But...we won't know for sure, will we?"

"No. We won't," Raven said, as she shook her head. Jinx was grimacing in Kid Flash's arms. Such a thing was truly horrific to learn about.

"Sinlus should not have slaughtered so many. Most were innocents," Bushido growled.

"He deserved to die," Speedy agreed.

"Puts a whole new twist on things, eh?" Hot Spot frowned. "A nasty twist, but it's a twist."

"Friend Ambrosia did not deserve such a thing!" Starfire frowned angrily. "She is loving! She is good! She does everything with her heart!"

"We know she does, Star. That's from her mother's side. She fights for what she knows is right. That's from her father's side. Both of them, in fact," Robin said with a small grimace. "Regardless, it's in the past. We need to work on a new castle. Titans! Are you all ready to build? We may actually get some decent sleep with all of this, too!"

"Sleep? Really? I'm all for it!" Aqualad grinned.

"If I can finally sleep right, then, yeah! Let's do this!" Bumblebee nodded. Ambrosia simply took a deep breath and nodded to show she was ready. Jericho lifted her in his arms to carry her. Robin watched this with a bit of bitter resentment, but he let no emotion cross his face other than a soft smile. Then he thought about something and grimaced.  _I need to inform Beast Boy of a few things._ He made his way over to him to tap on his shoulder. The green Titan looked at him curiously.

"Beast Boy, while she's busy with the grove, I need to talk to you," Robin muttered to him.

"Really? Okay," he shrugged. As much as they have worked together and saw each other as annoying brothers, they did see eye to eye on rare occasions. This had to be one of those occasions.

"And just so you know, it's about Ambrosia," Robin muttered again.

"Ah...right. You'll get my full attention," he nodded now. "If it's about her, I'll help you."

"Good," Robin said. "Because it's a bad thing. You need to know."

"Huh?! Tell me!" he growled.

"Later. When everyone else is preoccupied," Robin promised. Beast Boy snorted and nodded. He'll be waiting for the sign to talk now. When everyone was ready to go, Jericho whispered a few words of power. Raven blinked at the rush she felt. She had never heard such words and would need to learn them. Everyone was transported directly to the grove area.

"How did you know where to go?" Cyborg blinked.

"It's easy to trace a magic source when you know what to look for," Jericho chuckled. "Okay, love. Are you ready? I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"If I take short breaks, I'll be fine," she smiled, and he kissed her softly. He set her on her feet, and she stared at the stretch of forest before her. She took a deep breath, raised her hands up into the air, and focused. A sharp crackling sound filled the air as ancient magic from her left over curse hummed. As she brought her hands down, the trees seemed to shift with her movements. The Titans gaped in shock at the power she wielded now.

"How is she doing that?!" Jinx gasped.

"She's been exposed to magic all her life," Raven mused. "It's easy for her to do."

"Amazing!" Bushido gaped. Ambrosia started to hum, and the magic she wielded took on a fiercer approach. The land flattened and leveled. As though from memory, the moss reappeared with the stream bed. The small, white flowers dotted it all over. The charred stump returned to show where she sat for so long. When the seared rune appeared, she stopped and slumped over with exhaustion.

"Ambrosia!" Jericho winced, as he hugged her. "Herald! The moon!"

Herald brought his trumpet out and blew it to bring the moon out. Its gentle light shone down on them and slowly started to recharge her.

"Jericho," she sighed. "the rune...is still there..."

"Really?" he frowned. "Robin! Is there anyone here...wait. Bushido! Aqualad! If you go by the charred stump, you'll see a rune. Destroy it!"

"Why not me?" Hot Spot asked.

"We need it destroyed. Not burned up!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Fine, fine," he grinned back.

"Try not to look at it," Robin warned his friends. "It may still hold vile side effects."

"Like what?" Bumblebee asked.

"Intense fear and hatred on an atomic level..." Raven muttered. That had everyone pause in thought. "It made Ambrosia scream like she was being stabbed in the heart when she saw it."

"It was blood-curdling," Herald grimaced. Ambrosia grimaced, and Jericho calmed her.

"It was also a rune that Sinlus put down," Beast Boy growled. Now they made sure the rune was gone for good. Once the rune was fully disposed of and marred out of existence, they all relaxed.

When it was clear, she sighed and nodded to Herald that she was ready to continue. Jericho let her move to stand, and now she focused on the ground. She started to hum again, and she asked for the land's acceptance of a new Fae castle to be built. The words she spoke were warm, full of life, and gentle, caring love. Her eyes shone with a brilliant golden light, as the land accepted what she asked.

"Like honey..." Robin frowned and grimaced softly. The land suddenly shook below them, and the earth started to rise up into a small, yet impressive hill. The stream moved along it, as though to show where it started and ended. The charred stump became a small, beautiful tree that graced the top of it. It was in full bloom with fragrant flowers to show that the land was finally healed and made whole. Once the hill was formed, Ambrosia dropped to her knees again and shivered. Jericho bent down to make sure she was all right, and she smiled at him.

"Jericho, dear. It's your turn," she sighed weakly. He nodded, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and looked at the hill. He pointed at it and muttered three words of indescribable pronunciation. The hill seemed to shiver, but remained shut.

"That's right. My turn comes at night. The hill won't open until then," he mused. "Very well. We need to wait until nightfall to continue this. I'm taking her home to rest. We'll be back before dawn breaks in Ireland to finish this up."

"We'll all meet up here at dusk. Titans! Take a break and rest up!" Robin chuckled. They all dispersed now, and Jericho took Ambrosia straight back to their castle. "Beast Boy?"

"I'm here," he said.

"You guys coming?" Cyborg asked.

"We'll head back to the Tower in a bit. We need to scout the forest area here to make sure we know the area well," Robin said.

"May I assist?" Starfire asked.

"I think Beast Boy and I got this one covered. We'll be back there in about thirty minutes," Robin said. At Raven's odd glance, he grinned.

"If it's important, you'd better tell us later," Raven muttered.

"I will!" Beast Boy nodded. When they left, Robin sighed and sat down at the base of the new hill. Beast Boy slumped down next to him and watched him like a small puppy.

"Okay. Yes, it's about Ambrosia. Um...remember what I said about you being trusted with her? Well...it's only to protect her. You know that, right?" Robin asked.

"Um, duh! Of course, I know that!" he growled. "Dude, what's wrong with you? Just tell me."

"Fine," Robin said. "Ambrosia helped heal my mind. And my body."

"Okay. What's wrong with that?"

"It's how she did it."

"Um...then, how did she do it?"

"She had me take a bath with her..."

"A bath? With her? Separate? Like in separate areas, but the same room?"

"No. Together. Ah...this is harder than I thought..."

"Starfire doesn't know, does she?" Beast Boy frowned.

"No. And she can't know. She won't understand," Robin sighed.

"But, if it was just a bath..."

"Other things happened in it. Things that, well...that Jericho does to her."

"Wait..." Beast Boy blinked. "I don't get it!"

"I kissed her in the bath!" Robin hissed and grimaced, as he put his face in the palm of his hand.

"You kissed her again?!" he freaked. "When she was naked?!"

"And it...led to other things..." he muttered weakly.

"Oh...no..." Beast Boy gaped at him. "Does Jericho know?!"

"Yes. He does. He was the one that was against it, but Ambrosia said it was the only way to fully heal my mind. I kissed her before, and it made me crazy. Jericho knew it was making me crazy. It was the only way to completely heal me and make me whole."

"Robin!" he said with shock. "Okay. So...what does all of this have to do with me?!"

"I'm telling you, because they both trust you. If she reaches for another during her second month, I know how to hold out. I can buy Jericho time without doing anything. But, they don't know about you. I don't think you would last five seconds. I only lasted five minutes."

"What does she do to make you go nuts?"

"She's like...a warm, exotic honey. Something that you'll never experience unless it's with her. She tasted like honey. She smelled like honey. She felt like it, too. I know the Fae honey is nothing like her, so I'm fine around it now. Um...okay. I have an idea. We need to go back to the Tower. A strand of her hair was on my clothes. I kept it. It's in my room. It still has her smell on it."

"Her hair does? A strand? Wow. Um...you're making me nervous," Beast Boy admitted. "But, you're telling me this, because it's important to you. All right. As much as you don't believe what I say, I'll believe what you're saying. Let's go back to the Tower, and I'll sniff her hair."

"Right," Robin nodded. "And I know you said you'd tell Raven..."

"I won't. I can't tell her this," he sighed. "If she found out you had a bath with Ambrosia and kissed her in it, she would probably want to kill you. And Star, too, if she found out. Cyborg would probably pat you on the back, but I doubt it. But, eh, what other things did it lead to?"

"Do you know how babies are made?" Robin asked.

"Well, yeah, I...WOAH!" he gaped with complete shock. "You did  _that_  with her?!"

"Yeah. I did..." Robin said weakly. "It was how she healed me."

"Dude..." Beast Boy was now speechless. "Um...do you regret it?"

"I should, huh? But, I don't. That's the funny thing. It felt...natural. Like it was supposed to happen. I love Star. I want to marry Star. I know this. I know that's right. But...being with Ambrosia like that...it was right, too. Jericho didn't want it to happen, but he made me kiss her first to see how I would be able to take it. It made me go crazy! I couldn't think! I couldn't focus! You saw me react to the honey! It's why I had to take a lot of cold showers. I didn't figure it out until after...well...yeah..."

"Dude..." Beast Boy grimaced. "Okay. Let me smell her hair. Now I see why you talked to me. You don't want me to go all crazy like you did around her. I get that. Let's see if I can handle her scent."

"And Raven?"

"She won't know. I'll just tell her a boring story about how you had me sniff for animal poop around the hill. It'll gross her out and make her look at me funny," he grinned. Then he changed into a bloodhound to do just that to show he spoke the truth. That made Robin laugh.

"Find anything interesting?" Robin grinned when Beast Boy reverted back to human.

"Um, I found birds, bear, deer, wolf, and a few snakes," he mused. Robin laughed again and got up to clap a hand to his friend's shoulder. Beast Boy changed into his griffin form and nodded for him to jump on. They flew back to the Tower, and he landed on the roof.

"Anything interesting?" Raven asked, as Beast Boy shifted back.

"I smelled around for animal poop!" Beast Boy grinned. "Robin wanted to know what animals lingered around the new hill!"

"Um...ew..." Raven grimaced. "Okay..."

"Wanna know what I found?!" Beast Boy asked with an eager grin.

"No. I'm fine. I'll be in my room," she said quickly and left. Robin found himself grinning and shaking his head, as he led Beast Boy to his room. He had to admit that his friend knew what to do when the time called for it. Once in Robin's room, the door was closed, and he went to the secret drawer. He took out the strand of looped up hair and held it out to Beast Boy. He could still smell the honey that came off of it and he shivered. Beast Boy took a deep sniff and seemed to pause. He seemed dazed.

"Beast Boy?" Robin frowned.

"I...wow..." he blinked. "That scent is...wow! Okay, now I see why the scent of honey made you go nuts. But, I've never smelled honey like that before."

"So, you do smell it?"

"Yeah. With roses..."

"Bath water had roses in it," Robin sighed.

"Really? Okay. But, to me, the honey smell...it's...calming, actually. It doesn't really make me go nuts. It makes me want to relax. It makes you go crazy?"

"I feel the need to be close to her. But, you want to relax?"

"When I first saw Ambrosia, her beauty stunned me. I could tell she was dirty, but very pretty under all the dirt. Even when she was cleaned up, yeah, her beauty was intense, but I kinda got over it. I didn't really smell honey, though. This is new. I wonder if Jericho knew about this, since he was so close to her. I was always concerned for her safety. Fending off other Titans from seeing her and stuff. You know? But this honey smell...it's new to me."

"When I kissed her, it was like I was drinking honey. It was potent. I needed more of it. I'm fine now, but it was like...I just...I couldn't stop until I knew I was better," Robin frowned.

"Ambrosia was supposed to be a life-giving nectar. From the gods, right?"

"That's where the name came from."

"And she was made by two Kings and a Queen that protected life, right?"

"Yeah. You're right!"

"It sounds like she is life incarnated. I dunno for sure. All I do know is that, if she smells like honey now and she didn't really before...she's pregnant now. She has life in her. I wonder if she'll still have that honey smell when the baby is born."

Robin was blinking at what Beast Boy was suggesting.  _She was the embodiment of life, itself?_

"You're starting to confuse me," Robin said.  _For once, Beast Boy was starting to make sense._

"Dude, listen," he said. "She healed you. Tasted like an exotic honey. Fought over like a treasure before her family died and guarded like one, too. Someone told someone, and Sinlus found out for the Unseelie Court. He was sent to start wreaking havoc to get her to marry him. He killed off the ones that actually made her to keep another one like her from being made! He killed her own half-brother to keep her from being further protected! Now he's trying to cause problems for us, because we are protecting her and keeping him away from her! Does something seem wrong to you?! Something is really wrong to me! Ambrosia doesn't deserve to go through with this!"

"Okay, okay!" Robin sighed. "We know that there are many out there that know of her existence. What worries me is that they want to hold a big party to invite other Fae. Personally, I think it's a bad idea! If they tried to kill her or trap her before, who's to say that they won't try again?"

"Call Jericho," Beast Boy frowned. "Call him and tell him everything. I want to get a closer sniff of Ambrosia. Call me crazy. I don't care. I need to see something now."

"See what?"

"If I'm immune to her like Jericho," he smirked. "That honey smell doesn't drive me nuts. It calms me down. I want to see if it does the same thing around her personally."

"Ugh...fine..." Robin nodded. Jericho was called, and he responded.

"Jericho here," he said. "What's up?"

"Beast Boy wants to chance being around Ambrosia. He thinks he's immune to her scent. There was a strand of her hair on my clothing and he sniffed it. He says her scent relaxed him," Robin said.

"Really? But...a strand of her hair got on your clothes?! Hmm. Keep the hair safe. I can bring you both directly here, if you want. Ambrosia, dear? You do? Okay. She'll see how Beast Boy is around her. We'll be risking a lot, you know?"

"I know. We're ready," Robin nodded and put the strand of hair away. Beast Boy stood with him, and they found themselves standing in the bedroom.

"Wow!" Beast Boy grinned, as he saw the bedroom. Jericho chuckled and Ambrosia sat up in the bed. She was still a bit weak, but she was recovering.

"Okay, Beast Boy. Sniff her. And I'm watching you!" Jericho warned.

"Right, right!" he grinned. He moved to her side and carefully sniffed her cheek. "Hmm..."

"Verdict?" Robin asked.

"Dunno yet. It's odd. Like...I didn't smell anything weird on her before. I still don't. Jericho, when you were close to her at first, did she smell anything like honey with you?"

"It was mainly when I kissed her that first time," he said with a frown. "That was when I got the taste of honey. Come to think of it...Robin. That was when you got honey, too, right?"

"Yeah. I think so," he nodded. "Um...Beast Boy? Don't kiss her!"

"I don't really smell honey on her skin," he frowned. "Her hair reeked of it, though! It's fine now. I'm confused. Really, really confused!"

"Hmm," Robin thought. He moved to her side and smelled her wrist. The scent of her honeyed skin slapped him in the face, and he gasped as he pushed himself away. "I smell it still!"

"Really?" Beast Boy frowned and sniffed where Robin just did. "I'm getting nothing!"

"Then, it's probably only after you kissed her that it started," Jericho thought. "Robin's right, Beast Boy. Don't kiss my wife. Back away from her."

"Okay," Beast Boy nodded and paused. The scent of her breath stunned him. "Um...ah..."

"What?" Robin asked.

"Her breath...wow..." he blinked. "It's the same as her hair...but it's stronger...um..."

"Beast Boy..." Jericho warned. Ambrosia frowned and blinked her eyes.

"I really wish that you three would ask me about my opinion on these things!" she frowned. "I feel left out of this and treated like some sort of experiment! I agreed to be sniffed, but not talked about in such a fashion. Now I have no clue as to what is going on!"

"I'm sorry, love..." Jericho winced. She frowned a bit more, but then she glanced at Beast Boy when he let out a possessive snarl and kissed her fully on the mouth. The rich honey taste flooded over his tongue, and he kissed her deeper to get more of it. Then he started to swallow what he tasted.

"No!" Robin winced and shook his head. Beast Boy pulled himself away and gasped. He fell to his knees and was completely stunned at what came over him.

"Robin...Jericho...send me home...now...!" he whined. "I thought I was immune...I was dead wrong! Her hair has the scent of honey, but doesn't hold the effects of what she has herself! We can't let anyone get too close to her mouth. Her breath...that's what triggered this. I...I...my brain hurts..."

"Better not let Raven know that you have one then, eh?" Robin chuckled. "Come to think of it, you're right! I didn't even kiss her until I smelled her breath, too!"

"Oh, stop that! Just because my brain hurts doesn't mean I'm sensitive about it! Okay...that came out wrong..." Beast Boy blinked. "I couldn't think before, and I still can't think even now!"

"I'm sorry, Beast Boy..." Ambrosia sighed.

"What? No! It's not your fault!" Beast Boy gaped and moved to her side again. "Don't even think that it's your fault, because it's not! None of this is your fault!"

"But, I'm driving you away..." she whimpered. "I drive everyone away."

"No," he said and shook his head. "I was caught by surprise. I'm okay now. I'm not all goofy and stupid like Robin was, okay?"

"What?!" Robin gaped. Jericho sighed and grinned softly.

"Are you sure, Beast Boy?" she asked softly.

"I'm sure," he nodded.

"What made you kiss her?" Jericho asked, as he sat next her.

"Hmm," he frowned. "It was just...I dunno. Instinctive. It was just this uncontrollable urge that I couldn't stop. Her breath did that to me. And Robin, you're right. Her kiss tastes just like honey."

"So does her skin," Robin muttered. Beast Boy looked at him now, and Jericho growled in warning. Ambrosia sighed and placed her finger over Beast Boy's mouth. At the lick to her finger, he paused and blinked at her with shock.

"You're like a giant honeycomb!" Beast Boy gaped.

"I don't think that anyone else should know about this," she sighed.

"You're right, love. It would be dangerous. I think you both should go back to the Tower. Sleep, eat, rest up, and get ready for tonight. I can't have my wife going through all of this stress. It will make her ill, and I don't want her to get sick," Jericho said.

"Dude!" Beast Boy frowned. "She'll be okay!"

"He's right," Ambrosia sighed. "I need more sleep, anyways."

"Come on," Robin said to Beast Boy. "We need to get back, too. We don't want anyone to wonder where we are, right?"

"Yeah," Beast Boy pouted. "We will see you later, though?"

"Of course," she smiled and nodded. Robin gave her a look of longing and looked away with a forced bit of control. Jericho frowned at this and sighed.

"Told you so," Jericho muttered.

"I know," Robin muttered back.

"Huh?" Beast Boy asked. Robin just chuckled and let Jericho send them back to the Tower. Jericho hugged her to him, and she shivered in his arms.

"I'm so scared!" she admitted, and he winced as he hugged her tighter.

"I know, love. I'll protect you with everything I have. I promise you," he vowed.

"If my very breath causes others to want me..."

"Hush, love. You are my wife.  _My_  wife! You are having my son. I will tear anyone and anything to pieces if they try to hurt you! You have my word!"

"Jericho..." she sighed, and he ran a hand over her back. He moved to let her rest on his chest and cradled her. He kept his mouth to her forehead, as he guarded her now.


	11. Chapter 11

Back at the Tower, Beast Boy was on his bed with his knees against his chest. He was thinking everything over and talking to himself.

"Why did I kiss her?" he muttered to himself. "Why?! It makes no sense to me at all! I just...ugh. And what did I swallow? I know I swallowed something! Whatever. It happened. And to think that we'd all be bored as ever if I didn't get that book from Raven to begin with! Ambrosia would be stuck on that stump for another hundred years again. I'd be picking on Cyborg for something to do. Robin and Starfire would be training and not advancing in their little cycle of love. Raven wouldn't have gotten that weird robe and learning cool stuff. Jericho would still be a mute! Now almost a week has gone by, and all of this crazy stuff with the Unseelie Court is happening, and Jericho's a King and a dad. Starfire and Robin are gonna get married, hopefully. Robin also ended up...dang it. I talk too much to myself. I'll go get myself a tofu burger."

"Robin ended up doing what?" Raven asked, as she was standing outside his door. He squealed, shifted into a falcon, and flew away from her. She caught him with her shadows and brought him down to the floor. "He ended up doing what, Beast Boy?!"

"Ah...you know...kissing Ambrosia!" he said with a sigh, as he shifted human. "I tried to see if I was immune to her, since I helped break her curse. I ended up kissing her, too! She's...irresistible to guys, I guess. I dunno."

"You kissed her, too?" Raven frowned now.

"Yeah. I smelled her breath, and it triggered something...primal. Instinctive. Like I thought she was mine, but I knew she wasn't. Jericho got mad, but I was able to handle myself. I wasn't all loopy like Robin was. I'm still okay."

"I see."

"Robin is okay, too, and he loves Star. I'm just...concerned about Ambrosia. There's a lot going on around her now. New stuff to worry about. Raven, why did you give me that book to read and not another one? Do you know why?"

"Come to think of it, I just thought it would amuse you and keep you out of my room," she shrugged. "I didn't think you'd actually go off looking for stuff. Well...okay. I did. But, I didn't expect you to find anything. Much less Ambrosia. I'm glad we found her and we helped her. We exposed a new threat that we never knew existed. I'd be bored like crazy, if I was stuck in darkness for centuries!"

"Yeah, huh?" he grinned. She sat by him now and sighed.

"Hopefully, we'll gain some new allies and things will work out. As it is, we are gaining a lot of new skills that we never had before. Lots of new stuff to help us, too. Even though it's been around for ages. I'm just surprised at how fast I'm learning everything. Isn't there a ball that's going to happen?"

"I dunno. Robin and Jericho think that the ball will be a bad idea now. I think they call it a gala. You remember what was said about how Ambrosia was made, right? Two Kings and all? The Fae wanted them all dead. I dunno if they'll want her dead, too. Her crown is Jericho's equal, so she may be safe like that. But...they may still try. What do we do if they try?"

"We prepare for them," Robin said from Beast Boy's open doorway. "We kick their butts in any way we have to in order to show that we won't back down!"

"Do you think we can?" he asked.

"I know we can, if we all work together," Robin nodded. "Anyways, I'm going to order a pizza."

"Ooh! We should save a slice for Ambrosia!" he grinned. "No meat!"

"Right, I know. Five cheese? Extra large?" Robin chuckled.

"That will work," Raven smiled.

"Get another pizza with all the meat it can handle?" Cyborg grinned behind Robin.

"Sure," Robin nodded.

"Dude! No meat! Come on!" Beast Boy pleaded.

"You need some meat on your bones!" Cyborg mused.

"Oh, yeah?" he growled and shifted into a rhino.

"Are we having a party?!" Starfire asked.

"No. It's called a spat. Let's go in the main room, Star..." Raven smirked.

"A spat? I am most curious!" she beamed.

"It's called an argument. Spats are for couples. Right, Robin?" Cyborg grinned.

"I won't order your pizza, if you continue," Robin warned. Beast Boy shifted back to human and gasped with joy. Cyborg glared at him and made a face at Robin.

"Party pooper!" Cyborg grumbled.

"What?" Robin asked. Beast Boy whined, and Robin sighed when he went for the phone. Cyborg let out a short laugh. With the pizzas ordered, Robin sat back on the couch and started to flip through the channels. Raven and Starfire had started talking about various traditional wedding dresses for Tamaranian girls. Robin chuckled and sighed. He found himself missing Ambrosia. At first, the feeling was easy to ignore. Then it started to build.

"Pizza's here!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Good. Something else to focus on," Robin sighed. He paid for the food, and a slice was set aside for Ambrosia in the fridge. Cyborg started to wolf down the meat pizza, and Robin grabbed a slice of meat pizza and cheese pizza. Starfire and Raven started to eat and gossip about other things. Robin checked the time.  _Not even an hour went by. We had another three hours to kill._

"We should go out. See a movie!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Oh, no. You promised me a rematch a while back. We are going to go all out!" Cyborg said. "I am going to kick your butt in that racing game!"

"Awww! I heard there was a new zombie, mutant, slaughter house movie playing! It's about two guys that just go into a spooky house and blow up everything that moves!" Beast Boy said with excitement. "We should totally see it!"

"You guys can do what you want. I think I'm going to take a nap," Robin said. "I'm beat."

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"I'm okay. Just tired," he grinned. "We're going to have to build a whole castle. Possibly, anyways. I need the rest. I'll see you guys in a bit."

"Sure," Raven chuckled, as she ate another slice of pizza. Robin moved into his room, closed the door, and lay back in the bed. He seriously missed Ambrosia now. A small sigh escaped him. Then he remembered her strand of hair. He went to his dresser and took it out. The scent of honey reached him, and he shivered. He cringed and put it away. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax.

"She'll be here soon. I'm okay. Starfire is out there. Maybe I do need some rest," he frowned. He blinked when he found himself standing in Jericho's bedroom.  _I was brought here? Why?_

"Tell me something," Jericho sighed from where he sat at a table. He was playing a game of chess with himself. "Do you miss her?"

"I do," he frowned. "How did you know?"

"I sensed it," Jericho said with a small frown. "Come here and join me. We still have some time to kill. What are the others up to?"

"Well, I ordered some pizza. A slice is being saved for Ambrosia. Beast Boy insisted. He's playing a video game with Cyborg. Starfire and Raven were talking about wedding dresses and other stuff," Robin sighed, as he sat down to start playing a new game of chess.

"Already talk about a wedding?" Jericho grinned, as he made a pawn move forward. "As you can see, Ambrosia rests. Bringing the grove to life really drained her."

"I see," he nodded and moved a pawn. "So, how do you plan to construct the castle?"

"First, I need to make the hill open up for us. That will require quite a few moon crystals. Jinx and Herald are preparing them to be even stronger. Kid Flash and Mas y Menos are making the six inch wide crystals, as we speak, all over the globe and taking small breaks to rest between harvests."

"What makes Ambrosia's crown so special? With that one blue crystal?"

"Ah. That one was actually a giant ball of dew. It wasn't several of them together. It was an actual drop by itself. And it's flawless. Sure, it's not six inches, but three inches of that quality is exceptionally rare. The duplicate crown has the same type of crystal, but we made it into a sun crystal. Remember? We still have that crown in case something goes wrong."

"That's right, huh?" Robin thought and moved a knight.

"But, you have me curious. Why did I sense you missing my wife? I'm trying to figure that out," Jericho mused. "The only thing that I can think of is something Ambrosia mentioned."

"What was that?"

"My crown gave me the magical abilities of Aelfric and Elvey. She thinks you have all of the physical strength and skills they had. She believes that you and I are two halves of a whole."

"That...is really surprising!" Robin blinked and moved another pawn.

"Tell me about it," he said, as he moved a bishop. "Check."

"How long does the castle take to build?" he asked and moved the king.

"Not long. As long as the crystals hold enough power, it won't take long at all. Check mate."

"You cheated!" Robin grinned.

"I don't cheat at chess. Another game?" Jericho smirked. At Robin's nod, a solid hour passed with the next game. He found that he didn't miss Ambrosia anymore. Just by being in her presence calmed his nerves.  _Jericho must have known this._   _But how? He sensed me? How?_

"I need to know how you sensed me. Check," Robin said.

"Let's just say that, like Ambrosia said, you and I are two halves of whole. Probably from the duplicate memory thing. I honestly think that Elvey and Tintagel were, too. Check."

"You would think that would be the case. Eh, should I get the rest of the memories?"

"If you do, you'd be getting some of hers. And you'll need her to heal you again. Like I said before. I don't think I'll give you any of Sinlus's memories. Either way, she'll still have to heal your mind and body. Are you sure you want that? Check."

"I think it's needed. If you're starting to sense me missing her, then it may be the only way. Beast Boy was a bit worried about why he kissed her, though. As for Sinlus's memories, fine. I understand that, and I don't want any of his influence in me. Check mate!"

"Good move!" Jericho grinned. "But, you have a point. If you're starting to miss her, and I can feel it...well...all right. I'll give you the memories. She'll have to heal you. Let me wake her up so she knows. Give me a moment."

"Take your time. We have another two hours," Robin nodded. Jericho moved to Ambrosia's side and kissed her softly to wake her. She blushed at him and paused at the sight of Robin.

"Love, he wants the rest of the memories," Jericho sighed. "He missed you, too."

"Did he?" she frowned. "I see. You know what will need to be done."

"I do. He does, too. We played some chess. He's quite skilled," he smiled. She beamed softly at him and nodded to Robin. Jericho moved back over to the table, but he pulled the chair away to sit directly in front of Robin. "Focus again on my eyes. Do not pull away. Sinlus cannot intervene this time. His energy is fully blocked off."

"Right," Robin nodded. He locked eyes with Jericho and felt the hard slamming sensation of memories getting shoved into his head. He grimaced and started to shiver again. He focused harder, as his mind felt like it was getting squeezed now. When he finally felt the mental shove, he gasped and reeled back in his chair. Jericho was no better and crawled into the bed.

"Before she can...heal you...you need to sleep...let your mind...absorb everything..." Jericho winced. "Love? Can you help him?"

"Of course, dear," she smiled. "Come, Robin."

"Okay," he winced. She moved from the bed to help him rest on the plush rug. A drop of Fae honey was given to him to keep his hunger down, and another drop was given to Jericho. Now she took her silver harp and started to gently pluck the strings. The soothing melody soon had both young men sleeping deeply. When thirty minutes passed by, she woke them up with another drop of honey and got them sleeping again with more music. The second time she woke them, they felt better and were able to move. Honey was given to them both, and Robin sighed.

"It took longer for me to recover before," he admitted.

"Fae honey works best. You were eating...what? Meat?" Jericho asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure if I had tofu, it would have been longer."

"Much longer," he grinned. "Love, thank you. Robin will need you soon."

"I figured as much," she sighed and set the harp down. "Do we take another bath?"

"Ah, I don't think so. I've used up so much water, I'm starting to think that Aqualad could talk to me soon!" Robin sighed. That got a giggle from her and a laugh from Jericho. "Um...the rug feels nice? I guess? It seems decent enough..."

"Okay," she nodded. Jericho kissed her softly and lay back in the bed.

"Let's see if you can last longer than five minutes," Jericho mused.

"Yeah, right," Robin muttered. Ambrosia giggled and settled next to him on the rug. She was still fully dressed, and so was he. He kept his hands in his lap and tensed at the feel of her hands on his back. She moved to work into a massage, and he found himself relaxing. The scent of honey started to invade his senses once again, and he started to pant.

"Up to two minutes," Jericho smirked.

"Shut up!" Robin growled and tried to focus again.

"Robin?" she frowned, as she rested her cheek on his shoulder and ran a hand over his cheek gently. Her body was pressed against his back, and he kept himself still.

"Yes?" he asked and took a deep breath.

"Why do you miss me so much?" she asked, as she moved to press the whisper to his ear. "What of Starfire? Do you not miss her? She is your life mate, you know."

"I know," he nodded. He realized she was trying to help him last longer against her. "I love her. I want to marry her. I will marry her!"

"Yes, you will," she giggled softly and ran her hand over his shoulders. "But...why do you miss me? Can you tell me, Robin?"

"It's your scent. Your very presence," he said, as he focused again. "When I'm not around you, I start to miss you. I just...I'm not sure why..."

"Four minutes," Jericho mused.

"Stop it!" Robin growled and tensed, as Ambrosia moved to settle in his lap.  _She was clearly testing me now!_ She pressed her face into his neck, and he hugged her.

"You should not miss me, Robin. I am not that far away anymore," she said softly, as she breathed over his mouth.  _The honey scent was so strong now!_ Still, he forced himself to focus off of it, and he started to shiver. He started to twitch, as his focus started to melt. At the feel of her hand reaching up to caress his cheek again, he gave a small whimper and fought for control.

"I will withstand you!" Robin growled.

"Can you, Robin?" she frowned. "Can you?"

Her mouth moved close to his, and he heard her soft pants of need. They matched his now, and he finally cried out his defeat and kissed her with wanting abandon. Jericho seemed to chuckle.  _He lasted almost seven minutes now._ As much as he hated to admit it, Robin was going to have to do this a few more times to keep building up a resistance to his wife. The most he could hope for was ten minutes at his max. Only after the sounds of panting and crying out was done, did he raise his brow in thought.

"Seven minutes now. Not bad!" Jericho grinned.

"Jerk!" Robin growled, as he held her. "I wonder how long Beast Boy would last."

"One minute, if that. We both saw how he kissed her," he sighed.

"True," Robin sighed and lay back on the rug with her. She was pressed against him with her eyes closed. Clothing was simply moved aside, and now Robin carefully fixed them back up.

"You have to admit, she is testing your limits now," Jericho chuckled.

"And I do appreciate it. The longer I can hold out for, the faster you can reach her! How long do you think I can eventually go for?"

"Ten minutes, I think. The more you're with her, the better you'll get. It will be interesting to see when you plan to try this out. Anyways, you need to go back and think over the memories you just got. I wouldn't say anything yet. We'll show up within the hour."

"Right. Ambrosia? Are you okay?" Robin asked.

"I'm fine," she smiled. He nodded and kissed her thoroughly to drink down as much of the honey taste he could before letting her go. He stood up and found himself back in his room. He moved to the bed quickly, and it was just as Beast Boy knocked on the door.

"Are you up? It's almost time!" he said.

"Give me a minute!" Robin replied. "I slept pretty hard. Let me change my uniform into a fresh one, okay? I'll be out in a moment!"

"Gotcha! Hey! Don't touch my game, Cyborg!" Beast Boy hollered and stomped off. Robin stretched out in his bed and sat up now. He thought of why he didn't need Starfire to help heal him, and he realized it was the Fae honey and Ambrosia's presence that did it. He showered quickly, got dressed, and walked out to the main room. A few slices of pizza were left, and he grabbed one to eat. He needed to show that he was fine. He didn't want to think that he was becoming addicted to Jericho's wife.  _I shouldn't even be touching her! But, if it wasn't for her, my mind would probably still be in pieces._

He sat down to watch Beast Boy and Cyborg bicker and argue over the game. _It felt normal now._ The atmosphere felt like another normal day was passing in silent boredom. He sighed and finished off the crust of his pizza slice. Raven came over to him and sat by him.

"Starfire is worried about you," she said.

"Huh? Why?" he frowned.

"She went to find you, and you were gone," she said. "Where were you?"

"Ah...she tried to find me?!" Robin freaked. "Ugh. I'll talk to her."

"Where did you go, Robin?" Raven asked again.

"Jericho brought me to his castle to play a couple games of chess. He sensed I was bored," Robin sighed. That made Raven blink. Her robe confirmed he was telling most of the truth.

"You're hiding something," she frowned.

"He also gave me more memories," he said. Now her robe confirmed this, and she winced.

"Is your mind whole?"

"Yes. It was easier this time."

"Okay. Go talk to Star."

"Right," Robin nodded and got up to find her. She was on the roof, and he leaned on the railing next to her. She looked very upset, and he sighed. "Star..."

"You were gone," she frowned.

"I know. Jericho needed to give me more memories. I didn't expect him to bring me to his castle. Seriously. He decided that I needed more."

"And...Ambrosia is well?"

"Yes. She was recovering when I saw her. She was sleeping."

"Oh. But, everything is fine? You do not need my help?"

"My mind is whole. It was easier to accept the memories. I knew how to handle it."

"I see. Um...Robin..."

"Yes?"

"Do you...love Ambrosia?" she asked, as she looked at him.

"Star..." he grimaced. "I care for her as a really good friend. You are the one I truly love. I told you this before. I am going to marry you. Everyone knows this."

"But...you will be helping her in her second month of pregnancy. She will try and reach for you! Will she not? You are mine, Robin!"

"I know!" he sighed hard. "I also know that the more I'm around her, the stronger I am against her! I just...I'm keeping myself focused on you when I'm near her. Jericho knows this. She is also constantly telling me to think of you. She doesn't want to reach for me! She is  _his_  wife! All I'm going to do is keep her calm to buy him time if he's not with her! I have no plans to kiss her or do anything more with her! I kissed her once, and it was a mistake. It isn't going to happen again!"

"I hope it will not," Starfire sighed. "It...hurts me to see you with another. Even if it is to keep that other safe. What do we do if you cannot control yourself?"

"That won't happen!" Robin growled and faced her fully now. Now he paused at a memory from Elvey.  _The same thing happened before._   _He vowed he wouldn't fall in love with Tintagel's wife and it happened. History was starting to repeat itself!_ Robin put a hand to his forehead and growled out his shock. The only difference was that he wasn't a Fae, but he doubted it mattered if he had all of these memories. He needed more information and delved into the memory.  _Elvey tried hard to keep himself back. Tintagel had warned Elvey of the risks, and even Ambrosia's mother was trying to be cautious. Elvey wasn't a King at the time, so everything was safe, to an extent. It was only after he became a King and had a Queen of his own that things started to fall apart and become far more difficult to keep a secret._

_Elvey still loved Esmiralda even though he had a Queen of his own. Tintagel didn't want Elvey to try and help with his wife anymore, but it was only natural for Elvey to be there to comfort Esmiralda. Elvey convinced Tintagel to comfort his Queen when she was pregnant with Aelfric. When Esmiralda was ready for her next pregnancy right after Aelfric was developing, Elvey wanted to be with her._

_Tintagel was outraged at this, but he saw Elvey as a brother and this was well known. By the time Elvey became a King, they had all known each other for almost two hundred years. Tintagel knew Elvey for three hundred years prior to him becoming a King. They managed to push the idea aside, but it was only a week later that they all decided to simply try and see if the old legends were true about two Kings joining with one Queen. It was forbidden, but the three of them did love each other._ Now he blinked and shook his head. _Wait! Old legend? What old legend?!_

"Robin!" Starfire said with frustration. "Are you not listening to me?!"

"Wait, Star," Robin gasped and shook. "A really big memory just opened up to me!"

"What?" she blinked.

"This...old legend. What is it?!" he thought. "Elvey and Tintagel...Ambrosia's mother...there was an old legend. Something about Ambrosia now. I have to find out what this means."

"Again about Ambrosia?" she frowned. Then she gasped at the kiss he gave her. It was fierce, strong, and full of a loving sensation that he never gave her before. She found herself closing her eyes and giving in to the kiss now. When he broke it off, he hugged her tight.

"I love you, Starfire. If you ever doubt me again, just remember that kiss," he whispered in her ear. "It won't be the last one I give you."

"Robin!" she gasped, and she hugged him back. Her faith in him was fully restored. "Okay. Um...well...what is this legend?"

"I don't know. I need to talk to Raven, and I need to see if Jericho recalls anything. Maybe even Ambrosia, too. We'll need to do a bit of research. Will you help me do this, Star?"

"Yes, Robin," she smiled greatly. He smiled back and grabbed her hand, as they walked back into the Tower. "What do you need me to do?"

"Act normal for right now. I need to find Raven. Jericho will be here soon with Ambrosia to build a castle base. If anything happens, I'll tell you."

"Okay," she smiled. Robin nodded and sat next to Raven.

"I need to ask your robe something," he muttered to her. "I can call it Robe?"

"Go ahead," Raven nodded. "Things are patched up with Star?"

"Yes. Anyways, ah, Robe? A memory revealed itself to me. You are old. Very old. Do you recall a legend about something forbidden? About Ambrosia?" Robin asked lightly.

"Hmm...it does know. Ah. Huh. I'll try to clarify the thoughts I'm getting. All Fae have a touch of, oh, a well of magic within them. It's a very specific amount. The stronger the well, the more powerful and dangerous they are. If they are in peak physical condition in both body and mind, they are a real force to be reckoned with."

"Like Elvey and Tintagel were," Robin frowned. Off in the distance, someone started to approach, but then stopped at the conversation being discussed. The figure stayed silent and listened in.

"Yeah. Elvey was the Laughing Battle Mage. Tintagel was actually the Silent Death. My robe...it remembers that Tintagel and Elvey were like brothers. Two halves of a whole with how they worked with each other and responded to each other. Ambrosia's mom was like...the glue to them. When Tintagel married her, Elvey just...seemed to fit with them. It was weird."

"Robe remembers all of that?!" Robin gaped.

"Yeah. Even though it was stuck in a dressing room closet, High Warlock robes are very smart, Robin. They are like people in the form of clothing. If my robe was a guy, it would make a very happy girl," Raven chuckled. "But, it's a protector and something that can help aid me. That's all it can be. Anyways, yeah, each Fae has a magical well. Esmiralda, Tintagel, and Elvey had exceptionally powerful wells within them. It was what made them suitable Kings and Queens. It showed that they were leaders.

"As for the legend, I'm not really sure about it. But, it was told that, if too many Fae tried to create a child as one, the well would become...unstable? But, it would be within that child. Ambrosia should have been still-born. The magic well in her is just...it's overflowing. It attracts danger. She has become a magnet for other things. Just the fact that she's alive can trigger bad things. But, that's if she was doing it intentionally. She was brought up to be just and to keep to herself. To try and remain hidden. When the secret got out, the Fae feared the worst and started to act."

"Okay, but what about the legend?"

"I'm getting to that. Hmm. If the Unseelie Court gets her to do what they want, it will trigger something bad. Something worse than my Father," Raven grimaced. "Think of a bottle of soda shaken up so much that the top is ready to come off, but it's a nuclear bomb. Magic could be released back into the world at such a level that it could be dangerous. If the wrong people find out about her, they would try to tap into her well of magic. She is like a dimensional gateway, if she is used for all of the wrong reasons. We saw what she did for the grove. Normal Fae can't do that, you see?

"It should have been a full month of preparation. And she's pregnant. Normal Fae would have to wait until after their pregnancy to do something like that. Ambrosia's well is so powerful in her that she had the excess magic to use without endangering her son's life. To her, it was like building a sand castle. She knew what to do. She knew what elements were needed to be worked with. No magical spell is unknown to her. She's also a powerfully empathic Fae. If she gets mad, and it's felt by us..."

"We could help start a war," Robin frowned. "Okay. So, Ambrosia shouldn't have lived, but she did. Esmiralda was a powerful healer, and she was a skilled environmental adapter. Elvey was skilled in both physical and magical attacks to a level that even his friends were scared of him. Tintagel...he was known as the Silent Death?"

"Yeah. Tintagel was...much like Slade. But at a calmer level. The moment you started talking, you would already be dead. All he had to do was walk alongside his target and that would be it. They would be cut in half or charred from the inside out just by the air they breathed. No one would dare to mess with him. Sinlus wouldn't have survived if he approached Tintagel by himself. He trapped Ambrosia and helped the Unseelie Court dispose of a nasty threat to them. Ambrosia was the only thing that kept everyone from attacking. That box we destroyed...if it was destroyed with her in it, she would have been obliterated. No one could take that chance, and it killed them all," Raven grimaced.

"I need the memories from Tintagel's crown now. If he was able to kill someone just by walking next to them...I mean...wow. Elvey was noisy and laughed at his enemies to fluster them. Tintagel didn't have to do that. In fact, when they worked together, Elvey distracted the enemy long enough for Tintagel to simply walk up to them and finish them off. I...wow..." Robin blinked.

"It took years of perfection, Robin. Years of constant training and teamwork. They had a whole century devoted to training. Even if you had the memories, you would need to constantly train. It would tax your body. Ambrosia's mom, Esmiralda, well...she was known as the Great Healer. She could heal almost any wound no matter how severe. This was for both mind and body."

"How would she heal them?"

"Eh...my robe is unsure. It would be done in private, I think. It was a closely guarded secret," she blinked. Robin thought. Then he stiffened.  _I know how she would heal others. It was the same way that Ambrosia healed me. Elvey's memories confirm it. The only difference was that they would remember nothing. She would glamour them permanently into thinking that she simply healed them with soft touches. After it was done, they would be on their way and never need to see her again. But, I'm different._   _I am more like Elvey, but maybe I can be like Tintagel? Ambrosia's father never really used much magic. But, I actually like the laughter._ He remembered the look on Dr. Light's face, as he laughed and mocked him.  _It felt incredible. Even powerful._

"Thanks for telling me all of this. I have much to think of now," Robin mused. The figure that listened in at a distance seemed to cringe and now moved into Robin's room silently.

"Sure. Glad I could help," Raven nodded. Robin got up, moved straight into his bedroom, and shut the door behind him. He blinked when he saw Ambrosia standing there in her slender, golden gown. She was searching for something around his dresser area, and she turned quickly with a look of surprise that he had appeared behind her. She was sent to his room by Jericho with the order to stay safe. She was going to tell him that she was there, but she saw him talking to Raven and overheard quite a bit of what was said. Practically all of it. She was in the process of trying to find something that belonged to her. Something Jericho mentioned that Robin had obtained, and she wanted it back.

"What are you here for?" he asked.

"I'm looking for my strand of hair!" she said.

"Why?"

"Because it's mine. That's why."

"It was in my clothing. It broke off of you specifically for me! A part of you wanted me to keep something of you. Wait...does Jericho know you're here?" he asked suddenly. She turned from him quickly as though to try to leave through the door, and now he was behind her with a growl. His hands shot out to clamp over her arms to keep her still. "Why are you really here?! Where is Jericho?!"

"He's at the grove to build it. He didn't want me there in case Sinlus tried to appear..." she finally whispered with a form of defeat. "He...wanted me to stay safe. He told no one in case Sinlus tried to listen in. All that he's telling everyone is that I'm safe, and that you are safeguarding me as a protective measure. I can't go back to the castle. To my home. Dawn has broken the sky. I was going to speak with you and the others to inform you all of my arrival, but I heard what Raven said about my coming about. I just...I shouldn't have lived?! I...could be...the start of...a war? I just..."

"Oh, no...!" he grimaced and hugged her back to his chest. "We won't let it come to that!"

"I didn't say anything, but...my Mother's crown does have memories. It's...how I knew how to heal you. It's how I knew to work with the grove. I..."

"You knew?!" he gaped. She grimaced and trembled. He knew she was scared.  _She was lonely for a long time and didn't really know how to talk to others about her problems._ He turned her gently to hug her better and to help calm her down. He had to let her open up by herself, and she was keeping her mouth tilted away from his purposely. She didn't want him to kiss her. He was a good four inches taller than her, so it was easy for her to avert her face from his safely.

"I didn't know about Aelfric, though..." she shivered in his embrace. "I...didn't know he was my half-brother. I just...I loved him and I didn't know!"

"Ambrosia!" he sighed and hugged her. "You were made out of love. Yes, it was between three royal Fae, but it was out of love! I don't know how else to respond to this..."

"My Mother...told me to guard myself...to never let evil touch me...that I was special! That one day...I would be happy...but..."

"Are you happy?"

"No. I'm not."

"What will make you happy?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "A thousand years of nothing left its heavy mark on me. Fae only live as long as their happiness grants them. I have been unhappy for so long and forced to live with it..."

"Does Jericho make you happy?"

"Yes. He does...but he's not here..."

"Do...I make you happy?" he asked gently. Her tears fell, and he sighed when he moved to hug her to his chest. He recalled Elvey's memories, and now he saw that she was a near-exact replica of her mother. He saw why Elvey loved her. "Ambrosia, why were you looking for your strand of hair?"

"To take it away. So that you would forget me. I wanted to become lost to you."

"Why?"

"For Starfire's sake."

"Oh," he frowned. He wasn't expecting that answer at all.

"I had been thinking of a lot of things, Robin. King Elvey could not stay away from my Mother. Even with Father there, he needed to be close. I...I don't want history to repeat itself."

"As long as I am not a King, then it won't. Besides, I'm human. It won't work with Fae."

"A human and a Fae can still make a child," she said. Now he blinked at her. "It's been known to happen all of the time to strengthen the bloodline. Humans were known to be kept as breeding tools. Lovers, slaves, ornaments, entertainment...humans were enthralled with the lives of the Fae. If one caught our eye, we would steal the human for ourselves to breed their qualities into our children. It's true that only a married Fae can have children with another, but, a human could be sworn into a marriage. It was rare and heavily frowned upon.

"Father was known to have a human mistress here and there, but they were not recognized as part of the marriage. They were just for him to play with now and then. It was not uncommon. It was normal for us to see it. Eventually, I started asking Father questions about it, and the questions were so blunt and embarrassing that he ended up removing the mistresses completely from his life. But...Mother wanted to remain pure. She taught me to remain pure. Both King Elvey and Father were pure bloodline Fae. The best of the best, and it was what Mother wanted. She didn't want anyone weak to give her children. Father knew this.

"When she first saw Father, she was walking along the path by her home. She was betrothed to someone weak, and she hated it. This one had half-human blood, and she didn't want that. The qualities of the human weren't even that impressive. So what if he could count on his head upside down and backwards with his toes? It didn't suit her."

"You're telling me that it was that reason the guy was used?" Robin frowned.

"Yes. Silly, isn't it? But, it was that silliness that the Fae that saw this particular human desired. A child was made, and the child became well-known for the entertainment, well into adulthood, yet my Mother didn't find this one suitable as a betrothal choice. The resulting offspring would have been weak as a half-breed and couldn't do much of anything else, you see. She wouldn't be protected and properly cared for. Now I'm getting side-tracked! Let me get back to the real story.

"Anyways, Father saw her under the light of the moon, and he fell in love her. He saw she was unhappy, and she was surprised that he was there. He asked why she was unhappy, and she told him what was going on. She knew who he truly was. He knew that she desired him. She saw his strength, and he saw her purity in her beauty. None other had ever affected him so deeply. So, Father did the only thing he could do. He approached the one my Mother was destined to be betrothed to and scared him. Badly.

"He made sure to do this in front of a massive crowd of others. My grandparents realized their mistake when they saw the betrothed's weakness in full, and they found my Father as a much more suitable husband for her. His reputation exceeded himself, too. All knew that he would defend my Mother and give her proper offspring that was beneficial to the Fae Folk. When he introduced King Elvey to my Mother on his wedding night, of course, he wasn't a King at the time, but he knew that he would be helping my Mother. He had already fallen for her, too, and Mother was also impressed by his power. I...suppose it was inevitable for it to happen."

"And Esmiralda's crown is telling you all of this?"

"In dreams, I see everything. Even now, my husband, when he sleeps, he sees the memories from King Elvey and Aelfric. He grows in power every day. He even trains in his dreams! He isn't Fae, but the memories and the crown he bears has opened a well of magic within him, Robin. It's...frightening to me," she admitted. "I love him with everything I have. I honestly do. It does my heart proud and fills me with joy to know that he is my husband, and that I am having his son and heir. That he will be able to protect me with everything he acquires. I already know that he will give me pureblood Fae children. It's...really strange as to how I know this, but it's all because of the crown he wears. He is actually the first human that was accepted by a soul-mated crown. Because of that, he is now a pureblood of the Fae.

"But...I don't know what to think of you. Where he excels in magic, you are excelling in physical strength. You have no well of magic in you, but the memories are clearly revealing new ways to help you attack and defend. You cannot use magic, but you know how it works. If I gave you a moon crystal right now, you would know how to use it. You can use Fae magic, but you cannot produce it. Do you see? You can use magic that already exists. You just cannot create it yourself."

"I see what you mean," he nodded. "I just...when did the memories from your mother start to appear? Was it right after you got married?"

"Yes. Mainly right after I got pregnant," she blushed softly and shivered. "I just...I didn't know how to say anything. It's why my attitude started to change a bit. I did receive the memory on how to heal my husband's voice after the marriage, though. That was important. Jericho could possess me and learn everything my Mother had to remember. Then he could give the memories to you. But..."

"You would have to heal me again. And I know how your healing power really works. At the same time, I need to withstand you more. I'm able to withstand you even now!"

"It's because I don't need to heal you or be with you. I can simply talk to you. It's when I...desire another. That is when it happens. Or, as Beast Boy discovered, when you smell my breath."

"So, that's why you are keeping your head tilted away from me," he chuckled. She nodded with another soft blush. "Well, we can only see what happens from here. We won't let history repeat itself. You say, and I know, too, that as long I am not a King then you're safe. Then I won't be a King."

"Robin..." she sighed and moved away from him to shake her head. "Being a King doesn't mean you have to wear a crown. King Elvey...he got married."

"Oh..." he paled now. "You're saying that, if I married Starfire...that's when..."

"When you claim a life mate permanently. Yes. That is all it takes. But, like I said before, you could get sworn into my marriage, but that's a very difficult thing to do and it's a very lengthy process. I don't want...well...you belong to Starfire. It's why I was trying to find my strand of hair. So that you would forget about me. So that...I wouldn't interfere with your life! I was planning on putting a glamour on you. But...you already hold memories. You would have found a way out of it and approached me..."

"I would have, wouldn't I?"

"Yes. And with me being what I am...if another is born from me with a stronger well of magic...I...honestly think that it's that reason I am hunted by the Unseelie Court. Any child born from me now, even Aelfric being reborn...will have incredible magical potential. It would be like I give birth to a High Warlock every time! Another one with King Elvey's magical skills. I..."

"Ambrosia," he whispered and pulled her back to him. "Does Jericho know this?"

"No. But, he will," she frowned hard.

"So much is being revealed now. And I see why Sinlus wanted to marry you. If he's even reborn from you...it would be disastrous."

"Yes. And, if he is reborn from another, he could try to interfere with me to get me pregnant before Jericho can..."

"Don't think of that!"

"How can I not?!" she asked. "I have an open window once a year to once every two years. Anything could happen when that window opens unless Jericho is there to stop it."

"Or me," Robin frowned. She gasped, and he kissed her fiercely. Then he pulled himself away from her with a gasp of control from the exotic honey she gave him. Elvey's memories interfered with his train of thought and that was why he kissed her.  _I'm not supposed to be with her! Yet, I can't let her simply leave my life!_ She had become a very important part of him in such a short time. In only less than a week, he found himself wanting to be near her side. _But, I love Starfire. When I marry her, I'll need to try and hold back. I don't want to be the cause of something nasty. I'll have to make sure that Jericho got her impregnated first before anything could happen._ It was time to try and change the subject to calm her down. "Well, you shouldn't hide out in my room all night. We saved a slice of pizza for you."

"Pizza?" she frowned. He grinned and chuckled now.

"It's food. No meat in it at all. You'll like it," he nodded. He was amazed at how he was acting around her now. Then he paused.  _Elvey's memories were instinctively guiding me on how to act around her. I was unconsciously holding myself back to keep her calm._ The memories saved him and killed him at the same time. He couldn't believe what was going on now.

"Robin?" Ambrosia frowned. He gave a small smile at her and ran a hand over her cheek.

"Let's go out there," he said.

"Okay," she nodded. He couldn't move, though. The honey taste he got from her kiss just now was making him falter. Instead of moving to the door, he bent down and kissed her again. Then again. Her hands moved up into his hair, and he kissed her deeper. The honey-sweet craving he had for her was back in full. It didn't take long at all for him to satisfy his other needs with her. He was careful not to use the bed. If the scent of honey clung to it while he slept, he would have been in trouble.

"I think...we can go out there now..." he sighed, as he pulled himself away from her to set her back on the ground to stand up. He had braced her against the wall in his hasty movements to get closer. She could only nod, and she whispered a very soft word of power. Now he blinked and found that their bodies were normal and their clothes were untouched.

"Jericho...had me practice a little," she blushed. He chuckled and hugged her gently.

"Don't worry. We'll get through this," he smiled. As he led her out, he heard Jericho shouting at Beast Boy. He frowned and led Ambrosia to the main room.

"Move over!" Jericho growled.

"It's my game!" Beast Boy growled back. They were fighting over the controller, and Cyborg was laughing like crazy. Ambrosia glared at Jericho, and he turned when he felt someone watching him.

"Here, take it back," Jericho sighed, and Beast Boy squealed with joy when he got his game back. "Sorry, love. The game was addicting..."

"We need to talk," she frowned with a soft huff. "You didn't tell me you were back?!"

"Well..." he sighed and glanced at Robin. He knew they were talking, and he was providing the distraction the whole time.

"I'm sure you can let it go this once?" Robin chuckled. Ambrosia looked at him oddly, and she sighed with a nod. She knew Jericho was giving them cover now.

"Ambrosia!" Starfire beamed and walked over. "The castle is beautiful! Jericho told us that you had to be kept safe, and that Robin was protecting you. Sinlus...he tried to intervene."

"He did?!" Robin growled.

"Yes. His spirit demanded to know where Ambrosia was. I told you the moon crystal I gave you would help, love," Jericho mused. Ambrosia blushed.

"Huh?" Robin blinked. Ambrosia sighed and brought out a green moon crystal that was tucked away in her soft, golden gown.

"It was enchanted to throw off my energy pattern. It was designed so that it would match yours, Robin. I couldn't say anything about it for fear of being overheard. So..." she winced.

"Okay. I see why, and it's fine," he nodded.

"It also let me hear everything you spoke of. Darling? I'll be possessing you later in more ways than one," Jericho smirked and pulled her close to kiss. She blushed, and he looked at Robin. "I'll tell you what we find out. Anyways, yes, the castle is built, and Sinlus is blocked from it. I can take us there and to our castle home now. Do you want to go home, love?"

"Actually, Robin said a slice of pizza was saved for me?" she asked questionably.

"Ah! Of course! You haven't tried pizza, right?" he chuckled. "You're in for a treat!"

"You can thank me later!" Beast Boy grinned. "No, Cyborg! It's my game!"

"You played long enough! Come on! It's my turn!" Cyborg growled. Beast Boy became a pigeon to peck at him mercilessly. Raven groaned, and Starfire was grinning. Robin made that a queue to go and heat up the pizza slice for her.

"Um, I haven't played this yet..." Ambrosia said gently.

"Oh! Yes! You can play! I'll teach you how!" Beast Boy said, as he reverted human and had stars in his eyes. Cyborg gaped and then remembered that she had nothing to do for so long. _The game would actually be good for her, and it would give her a crash course in gaming society._

"If he doesn't teach you right, I will," Cyborg grinned.

"No! My game! I teach her!" Beast Boy scowled.

"You can both teach me in turns. Beast Boy, since the game is yours, you will teach me first. Then, if I do poorly, Cyborg can take over. Robin? Do you know how to play?" she asked.

"I do. I can teach you after Cyborg," he nodded. "And, here. It's the pizza. I heated it up in the microwave for you. Jericho?"

"I need to watch this," Jericho grinned. Ambrosia blushed and sat down next to her husband. He put an arm around her, and she tried the slice of pizza.

"Um...chewy. It's different..." she admitted. She let Jericho have the rest, as she found it a touch too greasy for her liking. It was good, but she would need more exposure to human food for it to really work with her. Her husband had already demolished it. Of course, he loved pizza.

"But, it's good!" Beast Boy grinned.

"This will be fun," Raven smirked and sat down to watch Ambrosia learn how to play a video game for the first time. Starfire was clearly amused and overjoyed that Ambrosia got Beast Boy and Cyborg to stop fighting. That was something no one could really do.

"Okay, so you hold the controller like this, see?" Beast Boy said, as he held the controller for her. "And these buttons make the car move. See?"

"Um...okay...actually, let me try to play now," she said. He nodded and started a game for her. When she crashed the car with his awkward commands, Cyborg took over the lessons.

"Just ease the throttle with that button, good. Okay, now hit this button for the gas, very good!" he chuckled. "Now make sure you turn with the curves with the pad...remember! Left and right!"

"Okay," Ambrosia said, as she worked the controller. Jericho was chuckling the whole time. When she tried to make the car go faster and it crashed, Robin took over.

"I'll just put my hands over yours, and you'll learn that way, okay?" Robin asked.

"Um...okay..." she nodded. Starfire blinked at this, but Raven was giving her a nod to show it was fine.  _Robin wasn't much of a verbal instructor when it came to video games._ Within five minutes, Robin had taught her how to play by showing her how to mimic his motions. Jericho was thoroughly impressed. Beast Boy and Cyborg watched Ambrosia play through each race course with near perfect scores in each one. She even beat Beast Boy's highest score.

"That's...well, it's not cheating..." he grumbled.

"Play against me?" Robin smiled and plugged in another controller. She nodded, and they started up a racing match. She beat him at every game. She did the same thing to her husband. He was clearly in a form of surprise.

"You're brutal!" Jericho smirked and kissed her cheek.

"Well, you're my husband. I must be competitive at times," she blushed. He grinned now and took the controller from her to play against Robin. They ended up in a tie each time they played.

"Odd..." Raven blinked.

"Tell me about it!" Robin grinned. "Well, I want to see what this new castle looks like."

"As do I," Ambrosia nodded.

"Of course, you both do," Jericho grinned. As they got up, Robin's communicator went off. He saw that it was an alert that a robbery was in place.

"Wonderful!" he growled. "Titans?!"

"We'll handle it. You go to the castle," Raven said. Robin frowned, but noticed that Ambrosia looked a bit distressed. Jericho looked at her curiously.

"Is there no way that I can see the city? I mean..." she frowned.

"We can arrange something, but not right now. We'll plan a day," Jericho promised. That made her nod, and Robin winced.  _She wouldn't last an hour by herself. She lacked street smarts._

"Let's head out to the grove," Robin said. "Don't you want to see the new castle?"

"True. I suppose the city won't go anywhere," she smiled. Jericho kissed her forehead and led her out the door. What they found before them was a sky filled with moths.

"Aw, man!" Beast Boy scowled. "Not that creep!"

"He's frozen! That's his daughter, I think," Cyborg said, as he homed in on the girl riding the massive moth. The blond girl screamed with rage and ordered the moths around her to dive-bomb them. Ambrosia frowned and gave a soft sigh. Any moth that got too close to her suddenly landed and crawled up to her calmly. Beast Boy even whimpered and changed into a dog to curl up at her feet.

"Why do you act so cruelly to us? There is no reason for it. Is there?" Ambrosia whispered to a moth that moved up to rub against her. She giggled softly, and the girl in the air was gaping. Jericho and Robin were grinning wickedly. Ambrosia's powerful empathy was quickly unraveling the chains that bound the moths to the girl's controls.

"Kitty!" Starfire glowered.

"Oh, it's the green-eyed wonder!" the girl mused. Ambrosia now looked up at the moth Kitty rode and sighed. "Huh?! NO! Don't drop me!"

She was dislodged from the back of the moth, and Raven caught her in a ball of shadows. Now all of the moths crowded around to be petted and cherished.

"You are all so well-behaved! Thank you," Ambrosia beamed. Starfire and Cyborg were gaping.

"You! Who are you?!" Kitty demanded from her shadowy prison.

"I am someone that knows how to treat animals. Oh! You poor dears! Did any of you eat yet?" Ambrosia crooned to the moths. They fluttered around her and settled along the walls of the Tower. "You all should go back home and rest. Surely you all need sleep?"

The moths chittered and left at her suggestion. Beast Boy got a calming pat to his head, and that let him become human again.

"Wow!" he blinked. "That was crazy! It was like, I had to make you happy! Or something..."

"Good job, my wife," Jericho smiled and kissed her hard.

"As for you," Robin mused, as he looked at her. "Raven. Drop her."

"Sure," Raven smirked and let the girl fall to the ground. When Kitty looked up, Robin wasn't standing there. He was now right behind her, and his pole was at her throat. His foot was in her back and keeping her pinned to the ground. He was going to enjoy this, as the Laughing Battle Mage came out.

"And just what is a little tartlet like you doing around my Tower, hmm?" Robin chuckled. "I doubt you're here to say 'hello'. Is it because you miss your daddy? Or is it because you wanted to see me again? Oh, that's right. I dumped you. You like the one that resembles a spider, right?"

"That's none of your business!" Kitty growled.

"Someone needs to cut your claws, little kitten. Should I be the one to do it? I think it would be rather fun," Robin grinned wickedly with a cruel, cold chuckle. Now the girl stopped moving and felt an icy shiver run down her spine.  _Something was different about Robin._  As the pole pulled up to her throat even more to force her to look into his masked face, she gasped with complete fear. The look on his face was complete, raw sadism, and the grin he had was going to give her nightmares for weeks.

"Robin, I think you've played enough with her. I'm sure that others want to play?" Jericho grinned knowingly. Ambrosia looked away from the girl and straightened her back.

"True," Robin said with a bit of disgust, as the grin vanished, and he removed the pole from her throat. He moved his foot off her back to let her move again, but she did nothing at first. When Kitty looked up, Robin was standing with Jericho. His movements were far too fast for her to catch. Cyborg could just barely keep up with Robin's footwork. He appeared to dance over the ground in just a few steps. The others were simply in shock at how fast he was now. Jericho and Ambrosia already knew.

"Who...are you?!" Kitty growled, as she tried to regain her courage.

"I'm Robin! Who else would I be?" he grinned. Starfire giggled, and he put an arm around her.

"Hmm. Love? What do you think her fate should be?" Jericho asked his wife.

"I don't know. I'll let you decide, dearest," she mused. Kitty saw the crowns on their heads and now saw how beautiful Ambrosia was. She saw her pointed ears, the way she stood tall, and even noticed how she spoke. "However, it would be wise that she forgets that she saw me. Safety reasons, you know? I don't want her to speak out that I was even glanced at. She is not worthy of seeing me."

"So true," Jericho grinned even wider now. Kitty stared into his eyes, and he stared right back. His green eyes were the last thing she saw before she slumped to the ground unconscious.

"What did you do to her?!" Cyborg gaped.

"I wiped out her memories of coming here," Jericho smirked. "Call it a permanent form of glamour. Fae did it all the time to those unworthy of seeing them."

"Tell me about it," Robin sighed. His mind righted itself quickly to help him keep the team calm.

"I'll need to learn that trick from you," Raven grinned.

"And you will! I didn't go in her mind, so I don't know where she lives," Jericho frowned. "I'll just send her to the city park. Close to the police station."

"Sounds good," Beast Boy grinned. Jericho whispered a word of power, and Kitty's body disappeared. When the threat was gone, they started to head towards one of the vehicles.

"We'll check out the robbery," Cyborg said.

"We'll meet up later," Robin nodded.

"You will be well, Robin?" Starfire smiled. As a response, he kissed her and gave her a hug.

"I'll be fine," he chuckled. Raven sighed, and Beast Boy laughed. As they drove off, Robin sighed. "How are we supposed to get to the grove?"

"I know how," Ambrosia smiled and watched the giant moth that Kitty had ridden land for them. "This one had stayed behind. I think she likes me!"

"She?" Robin blinked.

"Yes. When she has finished assisting us, she will return to her home. Thank you," Ambrosia smiled, and the large moth chittered happily.

"I love you," Jericho grinned, and she kissed him passionately. Robin smiled, and they all boarded up on the giant moth. When they were seated, the moth took off rather gracefully. She landed at the grove, got another pet in thanks, and flew off. Jericho smiled and pulled his wife close to his side.

"Where did the other Titans go?" Robin frowned.

"You didn't think that you guys were the only ones to get that robbery signal, right?" Jericho grinned. That had Robin laugh softly. "I rigged the signals to echo throughout the castle here. I'll do the same thing at my home in Ireland. You have to admit that moon crystals have excellent tones."

"Too much sound can shatter them, dear," she frowned.

"Not if it's the sound of rain, right?" he said gently. That made her smile. "Robin, look here."

"Hmm?" he said, as he walked over. A moon crystal that was the same color as the moss and hard to see was pointed out. It was gently touched, and the hill opened up with a small entryway.

"Nothing as grand as the one in Ireland, but we need to be incognito, right?" Jericho asked.

"Very true. And this only works at night?" Robin frowned.

"Yeah. So, you can use a moon crystal to come to Ireland. Then from our castle, you can get here. I set up a teleporter. It's easy to use," Jericho nodded. "And Cyborg plans to rig this place with security cameras. Weather-proof and disguised as animals. Mainly for daytime surveillance."

"Clever!" Ambrosia beamed.

"Of course. Shall we?" Jericho smiled. Ambrosia was led in first. Robin was next. Jericho closed the door behind them. A marble stairway with a light mossy coating led them down to the base level of the grove. "You made the place hollow underneath, love. It was easy to work with."

"That was the plan," she nodded. He gave a soft whistle, and moon crystals now lit up the entire place. It was a small castle that wasn't very grand, but it could be improved on in the years that followed. Small houses were around it for others to live in, if they needed to. The castle, itself, held twenty chambers. There were several bedrooms, a few bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a large meeting area, and a ballroom. Small gardens were fitted all over. It was suitable for now.

"Not bad," Robin chuckled. "And there's a gazebo in the main square?"

"That's the teleporter," Jericho said. "Look. Our castle home is here, on the large green moon crystal. The vision will display before you. If you want to go there, you lightly touch it, and you're there. As other areas become known, more crystals will be added. Our home now has a matching gazebo, and the crystal to represent this place is dark red. Blue ones need to be used for defensive measures for the castles. Others can be made of various colors."

"Very nice!" Robin whistled. "We should have a teleporter made at the Tower. To make traveling easier. You think?"

"You're right," Jericho nodded. "Darling?"

"I want to look around a bit," she smiled.

"All right. You're safe here," he smiled. A soft kiss was pressed to her mouth, and he let her move off to explore. When she was gone, he sighed and muttered, "Follow her, Robin."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"If anyone shows up, you'll know. Feel for my thoughts. We...sort of have that ability now," Jericho sighed. "You and I are brothers. There is no other explanation."

"Right," he smiled. They clasped hands, and Robin moved off quickly. Jericho started to strengthen up the defenses and improve various buildings now that he could. Robin started to look for Ambrosia, and he paused. He heard an instrument.  _The notes were sweet, low, and soothing. It wasn't from a harp, but almost like guitar. Not quite like Jericho's guitar._ He walked into one of the smaller gardens and paused at the sight of her sitting on a stump. The area looked very much like the grove above them, but a large, weeping willow tree was covering where she sat. She looked breath-taking under the tree and completely enchanting in her setting. An odd, purplish musical instrument that was like a multi-stringed lute was in her lap, but it was covered with nobs, various handles, extra strings, and strange holes to help it resonate properly. She was plucking the strings of one section of the strange instrument gently. She looked up at him and smiled, as she continued to play.

Her fingers got quicker now, as the tune got more complex. The pattern was different each time, and, as she played, a memory came to him.  _She did this before in her youth._   _She would play for her brothers and sisters. Elvey was there for one of her performances. As his daughter, too, he held a form of protective pride for her. Aelfric wasn't allowed to see her. He couldn't be allowed to see her. The only time that would happen was after Elvey died._

"Robin?" she finally asked and let the tune ebb out. He took a deep breath and moved to sit at her side. He moved to the instrument and found that it was actually several string instruments in one.

"Can you play for me again?" he asked. She looked at him gently and started up the song. This time his fingers moved over hers to mimic her movements. She giggled with him, as they played now.

"This...is my game, you see..." she whispered. "When I was trapped away, I only had my harp. I did not have any other instruments. This one is called a Grymphyre. Don't look at me oddly! It's just the name of it. I don't know why it's called this, but it is. It was always the hardest to play, too."

"Sounds like something I'd call someone that pissed me off," he muttered with a grin and laughed at the poke to his side. "It does have a nice sound. How many can play this at once?"

"Up to six people can play this. It's tricky, because of how the strings loop around each other. See? It's best for one person to learn how to play one part of it. I was always the best with the main part. The harp part of it, of course. I was surprised to find one here, though. I think Jericho had something to do with that. He...knows I loved this instrument..."

"I'm sure he did," Robin smiled and placed his hands over hers now. "He gave me a few of your memories. Enough for me to see what you went through. In that box..."

"I see..." she cringed.

"Time really did stand still for you. Didn't it? You couldn't even move in that box! I just...I can't believe that you had to go through with it. That Sinlus was so cruel...!"

"He is Unseelie. Why else do you think he was able to do such things?" she frowned. He looked into her eyes and looked away. She started to play again, but he stopped her.

"Ambrosia..." he whispered and wiped a tear away. "you know how I feel about you..."

"And what of Starfire?" she asked. "I am married to Jericho."

"I know. I do plan to marry Starfire. I love her...as much I love you..."

"No!" she gasped and backed away quickly, and the Grymphyre tumbled from her lap to land on the soft moss. Robin grimaced and moved to hug her to him.

"You knew this," he muttered in her ear. "You knew this would happen, didn't you?!"

"I should make you forget about me!" she cringed. "I cannot let history repeat itself!"

"It already has," Robin frowned. "The moment Jericho gave me the duplicate memories, it pushed things in motion. I know I needed the memories! But, it was the one of you and Aelfric that really started everything for me! Sinlus was expecting it to push us away, but, instead, it brought us closer! It proved to me just how loyal and honorable you are. And then I kissed you..."

"Please, Robin..." she sighed. "Maybe I should have remained cursed..."

"No!" he growled and kissed her desperately. The honey taste was forcefully pushed out of his mind for now. He didn't want to lose focus right now. "I honestly don't know what my life would be like if you never came into it! I just...I know it would be dull. Always the same thing day in and day out. Starfire...yeah. I don't think I would have been able to push myself to admit to her how much I felt until she gave me a choice. I think we were just content to...well...be together. You helped me grow up past that stage. You showed me that a fantasy can become a reality! I can't repay you for that. Just like how you can't repay anyone for breaking that curse. You change the lives of anyone you come into contact with. Yeah, you had two fathers. It hurts knowing that they both got killed for creating you. It hurts knowing that the one you loved in the past was really related to you. But, you didn't know!"

"My Mother knew. She also knew that it would have crushed me if I found out. And Father...he was so distraught at King Elvey's death! Robin, how did King Elvey die? I know Aelfric saw it, but he never told me. No one would tell me."

"I..." he thought, and then he hissed. "I can't tell you, either! Oh...that...no! It's too horrific, and you'll go into shock!"

"I won't with you here," she whispered.

"I think Jericho knew that this was going to come up. Jerk!" he growled. "All right. Sinlus approached Elvey. He told him that he knew the forbidden secret about you. Elvey was going to slaughter him, but Sinlus warned that, if he didn't kill himself right then and there, that Aelfric would be told everything. If not by him, then by another. Elvey...he knew there was truth to Sinlus's words. There were others nearby ready to tell Aelfric that he had a half-sister. So...to preserve the secret...Elvey killed himself. It was just as bad, because Aelfric walked in on Sinlus laughing at Elvey's death throws."

"So...Sinlus told the truth when he said he didn't kill King Elvey!" she grimaced.

"Yes. But, Aelfric knew he did, too. Sinlus forced Elvey to take his own life," Robin cringed, as he held her. "Hush, there's nothing we can do about it now."

She was sobbing against his chest, and he looked up to see Jericho standing there.

"Sorry, Robin," he said.

"You owe me," Robin growled, as he comforted her. "Why did you have me tell her?!"

"Because you are more like Elvey than I am," he said and sat down with them. "I know I'll be more like Tintagel. I know I look like Aelfric, but my attitude will never be like his. Sure, you'll gain the new methods of attacks, but our attitudes will always be different."

"Hush, sweetheart," Robin whispered softly to her and rocked her. "Maybe we can have Elvey be reborn. Like Aelfric. I'm sure it's possible."

"He...is reborn...through you..." Ambrosia gasped, as she tried to calm herself. "As my Father is...through Jericho. And how my Mother is...through me."

"Are you serious?!" Robin gaped.

"She's right," Jericho nodded. "All of them were killed unjustly. We need the memories from Tintagel's crown. I think it's time we got them. We'll need to have a duplicate made. Or...maybe we don't. Hmm. Let me check something."

"What?" Robin asked.

"I'll be right back. The others are pursuing the robbers. I can tell through the moon crystal that Raven carries. Stay here," Jericho said, as he walked off.

"How can he see through Raven's moon crystal? Wait...wow. He gained Tintagel's ability to use moon crystals as spy glasses? Oh! That explains why he heard everything in my bedroom with you!" Robin blinked. "But, then that would mean..."

"Yes. It's why many feared having crystals on them. Father was the only Fae that could see and hear through the crystals of others. It made him a more efficient protector and King. King Elvey and Father...they always communicated through the crystals. It's how they were a step ahead of everyone. They want to spy on a meeting? Hide a crystal in the room. It's why, if Mother was ever under attack, Father knew where to find her with King Elvey. The three had a very rare bond with each other. The Elder Fae didn't trust it. They said it was too powerful," she shivered. Now Robin thought. Then he started to grin and laugh. "What are you thinking of, Robin?"

"Oh, just that some moon crystals should be dropped all over the city," he grinned.

"They would only work at night," she mused, as she calmed herself a bit more.

"Well, it's better than not knowing anything at all," he thought. "I wonder now. Would sun crystals could be the same? If he can see through those?"

"That has yet to be tried," she admitted. He chuckled and hugged her with a sigh.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I'm...sorry if I cannot reply in kind," she trembled.

"It's fine. I know you love me, anyways," he grinned.

"What?" she blinked.

"If you didn't, you would have demanded for Jericho to be here. Right?"

"I..." she shivered, and he cradled her. "I'm afraid of what will happen, if I return your affection."

"What do you think will happen?"

"A full repeat of the past. Robin, everything went into motion the moment my Mother told King Elvey that she loved him. The moment she said that...he made plans to find a Queen for himself, but he wouldn't find one to his standards until two hundred years later. She confessed her love for him only two months after she married Father, because he confronted her about it."

"I see. But, now I'm confused. How does someone become a King or a Queen? Can you tell me? Is there a way to tell me? I've been studying Elvey's memories, and it seems a bit cryptic."

"Oh? I can tell you," she nodded. He settled her a bit more securely in his lap, and she found herself leaning into his chest. With a soft sigh, she started, "Normally, a King is found when a Fae of exceptional power is made known. They don't have to accept the offer, if it is given to them. Father and King Elvey were offered multiple times to have crowns made for them. They always refused, because of their professions. Mother was already a princess. So, Father had to be a King, or a naturally born prince, in order to marry her. He was neither, actually. Mother had to do the same thing that I did with Jericho. She had to recognize his strength and potential, which she did. The crown was given to him as an 'unclaimed' crown. One that was forged from the Dwarven Masters and was never worn. Once her crown was gifted to her by her mother and touched with his, the crown became bonded to him."

"So, if a crown is made, does it have to be worn right away?"

"No. It stays dormant. But, if the crown is being passed down to another, then it must be worn right away to keep it alive and aware, in that aspect. A Dwarven Master can have several crowns ready in advance. Once a crown is worn and ready to be passed down, another heir must be there to extend the life of that crown. In the case of my Father and his crown, well, he had died, and the crown was ripped from him. He was not ready to give over his crown. His crown died prematurely with him. A crown can last for several lifetimes. Almost indefinitely with the right treatment, you see. The only time a crown dies is if it dies on the owner. There was one case that a crown came off for a wedding, but there was a change in plans, and the crown nearly suffered for the lack of an heir. The wedding was called off, you see. The King that was ready to pass the crown down had to have another wedding done with his Queen right away, and the life of the crown was saved just in time."

"Okay. But, the memories. How does that take place?" he asked. "And, if your Mother's crown was passed down for generations, why don't you remember any others?"

"That's a bit difficult to explain. A crown normally doesn't remember any older owners, if it was naturally removed and given to the next. But...since my Mother and Aelfric were killed before the crowns could be given true ownership, the crowns sort of 'remembered' the deaths of their owners. It was also how Jericho's crown remembered King Elvey. They were killed unjustly, and the crowns knew this. So, they kept the only part of them that they could. It's possible that the memories could fade if the wrong has been fixed, but I think this case is different. It's exceptionally rare for crowns to remember their previous owners that died, much less survive the death blows. Because my crown is soul-linked with Jericho's, they have their own form of subconscious thought. I think that's why it's so different."

"Which is why soul-mated crowns are few and far between," Robin nodded. "That makes sense. No one can really kill a soul-mated crown, right?"

"The result would be devastating. The last one reported that killed someone that held a soul-mated crown...the other crown it was mated to drove the owner to slaughter the one that killed the other. Then, when the revenge was completed, the soul-crown died with the owner," she whispered. "But, it was the vengeance that was done. That is the most horrific part of it. The murderer was found in an indescribable heap of scorched flesh and bone. Almost as though this one had melted into the body. Spontaneous combustion, I think you call it. But, it was all done through raw, unbridled fury of Fae energy. It's a painful death, and, if there are conspirators, all of them would be ruthlessly hunted down and slaughtered in the same way. From children to elderly. Soul-mated crowns show no mercy."

"Wow," Robin blinked. "So...that's why no one wants to interfere with a soul-mated crown!"

"Yes. The crown doing the vengeance would know who was involved. It would be instinctive. The vengeance would drive the owner mad with insanity. It's why I fear...what would happen to Jericho...if his death was not natural..." she cringed. Robin dropped his jaw at this, and he knew that Jericho was listening to everything. "If it was done by the Unseelie Court, can you only imagine the pain and suffering I would go through in hunting them all down?! I may be a healer, but I do know how to kill, if I have to. That is something ingrained in me as a fail-safe. Nature, itself, can be my weapon. You saw how I was with the moths when I was peaceful! Imagine what could have happened if I was angered!"

"I...didn't think of it that way..." he admitted.

"Trees would even uproot themselves to avenge my wrath," she frowned heavily. "Mother did it before when our home was under attack by ravaging humans. The trees did not drink water that day."

"Ah..." Robin gaped. He was completely speechless by this.

"I...need to calm myself..." she shivered. He looked over at the Grymphyre and moved her so he could grab it and bring it over to her.

"Play with me," he urged. She nodded, and, very carefully, she started to pluck the strings with him. The low, sweet notes were quick in their calming effect, and she started to smile while she played. He blinked, as Jericho gave a mental nudge to tell him the others were coming back. It felt like an odd tickling in the back of his mind. He stood up now and paused at another message.  _Beast Boy was hurt._  He gave out a gasp at what could have gone wrong.

"Robin?" she frowned.

"Beast Boy! He's been hurt! Bad!" he cringed. "I...I should have been there! I should have..."

"Hush!" she said and rose up quickly to move in front of him. "If he is hurt, I will heal him."

"His symptoms..." he thought aloud, as he went over what Jericho was sending him. "He's not wounded, but he can't shift. It's like his shifting abilities are blocked! He's somewhat stunned, too."

"Okay. I will assess him when he comes here," she said. "Do not show that you know of the situation. Sit in front of me and listen to me play. You must remain calm. Show instant concern when he appears. Trust me in this, Robin."

"All right," he nodded. She settled the Grymphyre back in her lap and started to play again. A short moment later, Starfire was making a beeline towards them.

"Robin! Beast Boy is in trouble!" she gasped.

"What?! How?" Robin said and stood up quickly.

"He cannot become animal form, Robin!" she fretted. "We subdued the robbers into a metal structure. They fired something at him. Now he cannot become animal form!"

"I got him. It's like he can't move, too," Cyborg frowned, as he brought over Beast Boy.

"Someone...get the license plate...of that truck!" Beast Boy muttered.

"I can't detect anything with Fae energy," Raven frowned. "I don't know how we can help him."

"That thing!" Jinx fumed. "What was it?!"

"I don't know. We're going to have to grab it and study it," Herald frowned.

"Ambrosia? Can you heal Beast Boy?" Starfire frowned. Ambrosia set the Grymphyre aside and rose up smoothly. She walked in a such a graceful way, it was like she was floating.

"Set him down for me, Cyborg," Ambrosia said with a soft whisper. It was done, and Beast Boy was gasping. The other Titans gathered around, and Jericho wasn't long to appear when he sat by his wife.

"I can't see..." Beast Boy cringed. "Who's...there...?"

"Relax..." Ambrosia whispered and softly breathed her honeyed breath over his mouth. At that scent, he gasped and shivered in small convulsions. It looked extremely painful, and Kole grimaced when Gnarrk let her sit on his shoulder. Pantha was clearly trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Ambrosia...?" Beast Boy whispered.

"Yes. I am here. What can you remember? Can you tell me?" she asked, as she carefully felt over his forehead and temples. She was trying to detect if there was any external problems first before deciding if she had to do any deep healing. Robin watched with complete concern for his teammate.

"I was...charging at the guys...in my Tyrannosaurus Rex form...um..." he coughed slightly, and she ran her hands over his eyes. She detected nothing wrong with his sight. "They took out...some kind of a ray gun...from a box...near them. It was weird looking...blasted me...in the face with it..."

"Okay. So it is a form of head trauma. Beast Boy, can you hear me?" she asked carefully.

"Yeah...but...if you mean...as an animal...no..." he whimpered softly.

"It's okay. I need to get a deeper evaluation. Silence, please. No matter how much pain he appears to be in, no one must interfere," she warned. The others nodded, and she took a deep breath. One hand was now placed on his forehead, and the other was over his heart. Then she started to hum softly, as she closed her eyes. A rich, warm breeze began to blow around everyone, as she focused her powerful healing ability. Her crown flared out a soft, blue light from the flawless blue moon crystal embedded within it to show that intense healing was taking place. "I see you...caged...okay..."

"Caged?!" Robin asked.

"Hush," Jericho warned.

"I must...unlock your cage..." she said, and her crown flared out even stronger. The breeze started to tug at everyone, as the power increased. "The key...hmm. Very well. I see what I must do."

"It hurts! Why does it hurt?! Stop burning me!" Beast Boy whined. Raven wanted to help, but Jericho held up his hand. Starfire had her hands to her mouth in small fists of worry. Cyborg was already making plans to ease up on his green buddy when they got back to the Tower. Then Ambrosia shocked everyone by bending down and kissing Beast Boy squarely on the mouth.

"What the...!" Speedy gaped. Bumblebee and Aqualad were in just as much shock as the others.

"Do nothing," Jericho warned. He watched Beast Boy appear to drink something down. Robin blinked and realized that she really did give him a nectar. _An ambrosia of her own._ She pulled away gently, and he was gasping with a form of relief. Then she slumped down a bit, as her crown pulled back in the healing light, and Jericho pulled her into his lap.

"He's...healed..." she sighed with intense exhaustion. "I...opened his cage..."

"You kissed him!" Bushido blinked.

"Yes. I did," she nodded. "It's how...I heal others...and...it's the same...with how my...Mother did it...too. I'm so tired..."

"I'm here, love," Jericho whispered and kissed her forehead. Beast Boy coughed and sat up with a groggy shake of his head. "And you need to sleep for an hour or so."

"I feel like I could sleep for weeks!" Beast Boy muttered. "But, I'm better?"

"Yes. After you sleep, you should be right as rain," he nodded. "Robin, take him back."

"Okay," he said. "Star? What's wrong?"

"Robin?" she asked. "Are you well?"

"I'm okay," he nodded. "Beast Boy? Can you walk?"

"Or do I have to carry you like a baby?" Cyborg grinned.

"I can walk!" Beast Boy growled, stood up and fell to his knees. "Okay. Can't walk. Dizzy."

"Cyborg, he just got his butt kicked by something we don't know about," Raven muttered. "Give him a break! I'll help you to the Tower."

"Kay," Beast Boy nodded and coughed again. He kept trying to focus, and Robin blinked.  _The healing was only halfway done._ Ambrosia couldn't do the rest of the healing in front of the others, and he grimaced.  _If he was left alone like this, he'd heal, but not fast enough._  He glanced at Jericho, and a knowing nod was given to him.

"I'm taking my wife home. I'll know if anything else happens," Jericho said. "And don't touch the Grymphyre. That's the instrument in the garden here. It's very hard to make and even harder to fix."

"So...that's an instrument?!" Aqualad grinned.

"Yes. When Ambrosia is better, she'll play a bit for you all," Jericho chuckled. Ambrosia smiled softly, and he kissed her tenderly before rising up with her. Raven let Beast Boy lean on her arm, and she took him back to the Tower with a wave of shadows. Once in his room and on the bed, Raven leaned over him to make sure he would be all right.

"Beast Boy," she said. "when she kissed you, you drank something. What was it?"

"Honey..." he sighed and finally closed his eyes to sleep deeply. That made Raven blink with surprised, as she straightened up.  _Honey?_   _Ambrosia was supposed to be a nectar._  She did recall how Robin couldn't stand honey at first. Then she remembered how Robin described her kiss.

"Healing honey. Made within her body. A healing nectar..." she thought. "Very interesting. At least she was able to heal him and Robin. But...something seems off. Ambrosia's mother had to take others into the privacy of her chambers to fully heal them. Hmm. As long as he's able to sleep and regain his strength. I'll have to see how he is later."

When she moved out of the bedroom, Jericho appeared shortly after. He was watching through the red moon crystal that Beast Boy had. He also made sure that Raven's moon crystal showed that she was far enough away before he appeared. He picked up Beast Boy and brought him to his castle bedchambers where Ambrosia was waiting.

"One hour, love," he sighed and set Beast Boy on the rug.

"It will be plenty of time," she nodded.

"Robin knows. He'll keep the others busy by tracking down that weapon."

"Very well. What will you do?"

"I'll play a game of chess," he chuckled. She nodded and moved her hand over Beast Boy's face. The scent of her skin brought him out of his deep sleep, and he gazed at her. Then he saw his surroundings and blinked with complete surprise.

"Why am I here?!" he asked.

"I could only heal you partially. You need more healing," she said softly.

"Robin...told me how you healed him in a...bath, I think," he said, as he sat up.

"He told you?!" she gaped. Now Jericho looked over with concern.

"It's okay!" Beast Boy said quickly.

"No one else may know," she said sternly. "Others cannot know."

"But, you're supposed to be able to trust me, right?"

"True..."

"Then trust me. I won't say a word," he smiled. Jericho mused to himself and went back to playing his game of chess. At this, she was able to relax a bit.

"Aren't you nervous, then?" she frowned at Beast Boy.

"A little. I mean...I haven't gone all the way before...so..."

"You don't have to think of it like that."

"But, I sort of do..." he shrugged. Jericho chuckled to himself softly, as he moved various chess pieces around. When Beast Boy was going to say something else, Ambrosia put a finger to his lips.

"We don't have much time. Relax," she smiled softly. He nodded and let her kiss him. After ten minutes, he found himself blinking and laying back on the rug with her.

"Wow," he said, as he pieced together what he just did. "I'm speechless..."

"Really?" she giggled. "Now, normally, Mother would be using a glamour spell to make the patient forget. But, since I know I can trust you, what do you want to do?"

"Um," he frowned and kept her close. "I don't know. Honestly. The last thing I want to do is blab about this, which I know I won't! Eh...I'm torn."

"I can do a small glamour. Such as, you know I healed you, but you're not quite sure how."

"I don't want that," he frowned. "I want to remember everything."

"Then trust yourself to keep your mouth shut," Jericho smirked. "Normally, I'd be pissed off, but this was for you to be healed. Robin is another story."

"Well, how much time do we have before I get checked on?" he asked.

"About twenty minutes or so," Jericho nodded.

"All right. Fill me in," he said.

"I will tell you everything," Ambrosia nodded. Beast Boy pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. She was able to explain everything quickly with her powerful empathy. When he blinked his eyes opened, not even five minutes went by.

"That's crazy!" Beast Boy gaped. "So...um...is Elvey really going to be Robin?!"

"It's starting to look that way. As it is, Robin is going to need to come here to help me extract the memories from Tintagel's crown," Jericho sighed.

"I should be here, too," he said. "I see myself as her personal bodyguard. Not really anything else, but you know you can count on me if something happens. She healed me. I know I helped remove her curse, but she removed a block on my shifting ability! I mean...normally, we'd be even, but I feel I need to do this. It's important to me."

"Hmm," Jericho mused. "Okay. However, you need to go back and sleep off what's left of the healing. Then you need to shower, and you'll feel better. You might be hungry, too. Talk to Robin when you're walking around again. I'll even let him know of what's going on. He and I are on a level much like how Ambrosia is with you when it comes to communication."

"Really? Okay. Um, Ambrosia? Thank you for healing me," Beast Boy said with genuine appreciation. "I...honestly wouldn't know what would have happened to me if you weren't here..."

"It's all right," she smiled softly, and he kissed her again to get a bit more of the healing honey. "My husband will send you back to your room. Sleep now and shower when you wake up."

"Right," he nodded. He got up and dressed quickly. When he was sent back, Jericho moved over to her and plucked her up from the rug to take to the bed.

"I am worried," she admitted.

"I know," he sighed and kissed her hard. "My beautiful, sweet wife. Everything will be fine."

"I hope so," she smiled and touched his throat. Her crown flared out the soft, blue healing light.

"Damn you!" he growled and coughed.

"One more touch, and it will be done," she blushed.

"And what of your legs?"

"You don't want to carry me around?"

"Is that why you're so lax on healing them?"

"Why else would there be a reason?" she giggled. He grinned and possessed her mouth with a furious passion. As she gave in to her husband's desires, Beast Boy was getting checked on by Raven.

"Hmm," she thought, as she watched his sleeping form. The moment he had gotten back to his room, he had collapsed on the bed and moved to how he was placed before Jericho brought him to Ambrosia. She looked over when Robin walked in to see him.

"Still sleeping?" he asked.

"Yeah. He seems to be doing a lot better," she nodded. "His vital signs have drastically improved. She is a very powerful healer."

"Good. When he gets up, he'll likely shower. Might be hungry, too. He'll be fine," Robin chuckled. "I don't know what would have happened if he didn't find Ambrosia. I mean...to have his shifting ability blocked like that! It's just so unreal, you know?"

"It's scary to think about," she nodded. "But, he did find Ambrosia, and she was able to help him. Cyborg still working on that thing? The gun that hit Beast Boy?"

"Yeah. Apparently, it's made to target us, in particular. Titans. We need to scope out that warehouse even more. If they were researching on how to block our abilities and mental strengths..." he shivered. "It could become something lethal."

"Especially if it targets what we are to survive with," she nodded. As they walked out of the room and closed the door, he sighed, and she looked at him questionably.

"Jericho may have found a way to extract Tintagel's memories from the dead crown. When it happens, he wants me there," he frowned.

"Why?"

"To see if...well...if Elvey responds. It's speculation right now, but, if Elvey is 'alive' in my head, it could be why I'm still getting shifts in his personality."

"That would make some sense. Considering that he died unjustly. But, why you? Why would Elvey live on through you? Other than the memories you got, that is."

"That's just the thing. I got the memories from Elvey and Aelfric. Elvey isn't really reborn as another person. Aelfric is being reborn. What Jericho is hoping for is to bring Elvey out to talk to him in depth about various things. Once again, we know of the risks. I'm telling you this in case Starfire freaks out. I don't want her to think that I don't love her. I do. Elvey...well...I won't know how he is."

"Not until he comes out. Right. You will need to let Elvey know about her."

"Which is what Jericho wants to do. He wants to safeguard my love for Starfire."

"But, why do that unless...you haven't...fallen for Ambrosia? Have you?" Raven asked softly.

"I can't say for sure," Robin frowned. It was an indecisive answer to hide the truth. "If I have, I wouldn't know what to think. All that I do know is that I want to be with Starfire. As Ambrosia put it...she's my life mate. Plain and simple."

"Life mate. Such an old fashioned way to put it," Raven chuckled. "But, I can see why you would want to bring this up to me. I'll do what I can to keep her calm and trusting in you. What about Cyborg? Should he be let in on this?"

"I would only let him in if there is no other choice. Beast Boy...he has an idea. He always gets vibes and thoughts from Ambrosia now."

"He was in pain when she was healing him."

"That was the injury trying to resist her. She had to smash down the barrier the only way she knew how. She had to apply more force to her healing."

"When she kissed Beast Boy, he swallowed something. When I asked him what it was, he said it was honey. Robin, when she healed you, did she do the same thing to you?"

"Yeah. She did. I needed more of it. That's why I was so crazy in the head. I'm fine now."

"Are you? If you needed more of it..."

"I balanced myself out," he shrugged. That made her raise a brow.

"I really hope that she didn't do something to you that you can't tell us about," she frowned.

"Fae healing is complex. That's...really all I can say," he sighed. "I made a vow not to reveal the secret. It was either that, or she would have forced me to forget. As much as that would have been preferred, Elvey's memories would have revealed everything to me, so I had to remember. Yeah, she healed my mind and body. But, I swore to keep it secret on how she did it."

Raven was going to persist, but her robe gave the impression not to.  _This was an ancient and closely guarded secret. Such a thing would be hard to understand._  She sighed and said, "Okay. I'll trust what you say and what she can do. She clearly did heal you and Beast Boy."

"Yeah. She did," he grinned. "Hmm. Jericho wants me to wait for Beast Boy. Before I head over there. Beast Boy can be trusted with everything, since he broke Ambrosia's curse. He will be needed to help keep Ambrosia stable. I'd have you come with me, too, but..."

"I'll be here for Star. I know. I have an idea on how to keep her occupied," she nodded. "I'll go set it up now. Will Beast Boy be hungry?"

"It's possible," Robin nodded. "I'll have a few tofu burgers ready for him."

"Right," she nodded. As they separated, he went into the kitchen and took out some frozen burgers. Cyborg walked over and grimaced.

"What are you doing?! You need meat, Robin! Not that tofu junk!" he growled.

"It's for Beast Boy when he wakes up. Remember how I was starving before? He might be the same way," Robin said. That made Cyborg blink, and he gave a nod.

"Okay. Now I see why you're handling that nasty smelling stuff."

"What's nasty smelling?" Beast Boy asked, as he walked out of his room. He was freshly showered, dressed, and looked better than usual.

"Your burgers. That's what! Almost as nasty as those tofu waffles!" Cyborg shuddered.

"Don't knock 'em if you haven't tried 'em!" Beast Boy scowled.

"I don't have to. I just smell them and I wanna puke! You don't even eat eggs!"

"Chickens and birds hatch from eggs!"

"And all of them are delicious!"

"Dude! Not funny! Besides, they are making improvements on how tofu tastes now."

"Hah! Can't ever replace the meat."

"Tofu is the way to go!"

"Oh, no! It's meat!"

"Tofu!"

"Meat!"

"TOFU!"

"MEAT!"

"Both of you, stop it!" Robin groaned and handed Beast Boy a plate of cooked up tofu burgers. He squealed and started to chomp into them. "It doesn't matter what you eat as long as you can live off it! I had to live off of grubs and wild growing roots for a month for survival training! It tasted bad, but I survived it. Anyways, Beast Boy, when you're done eating, Jericho needs to see us. Cyborg, you need to continue analyzing that weird gun and break down its components."

"Why you and Beast Boy?" Cyborg frowned.

"We need to make sure that Beast Boy is fully healed. As for me, I need to unlock a few more memories. Raven knows about it. Starfire might get concerned, so Raven will be doing a few things with her. I'm not going to change. It's mainly to find out more about Ambrosia's past to try and put more of a damper on what Sinlus wants to do," Robin said.

"Ah. Okay then. I'll do what I can," he nodded. The moment Beast Boy finished off the last bite, he felt much like his old self again. Robin nodded and noticed that Starfire was walking up with Raven. She was giggling and happy. It was what he liked to see.

"Robin! Raven is going to let me help her do chores!" she beamed.

"I have a few things in my room that need to be organized," Raven smirked.

"Oh? Okay. Um, Star, Jericho needs to examine Beast Boy to make sure he's better. I need to go with him, since a few more memories need to be unlocked. I'll be fine. Cyborg is still working on that ray gun. I'm letting you know so that you'll know where I am. I'll be in Ireland," Robin said.

"And Beast Boy will be with you?" she asked.

"Yep! We'll be back!" Beast Boy nodded.

"Okay!" she nodded. Robin hugged her tight and watched her walk off with Raven.

"Dude, I really hope that everything will be okay," Beast Boy frowned.

"Me, too," Robin sighed.


	12. Chapter 12

When they got to Ireland, it was approaching dusk. It was hard to keep track of the days and nights now. Robin and Beast Boy moved up to the castle and towards the bedroom. When they knocked on the door, it opened by itself.

"We're in here," Jericho grounded out in the bathroom. Ambrosia had gotten fiercely ill just moments ago and was recovering.

"Is she okay?!" Beast Boy frowned.

"Pregnancy sickness?" Robin asked with a sigh.

"Massive pregnancy sickness," Jericho muttered. "Darling? Are you all right?"

"I...will be..." she winced.

"Healing took a lot of her reserves. There's no moon for her to recharge with, and I would have called for Herald, but the two of you were coming here. We need to do this first. Then we can see to her getting a good recharge. Until then, I was able to give her some power from a moon crystal, but it's not enough. She'll be fine when she rests, though," he sighed. "Easy, love. That's it. Lean into me."

She staggered and coughed again only to get moved back to the toilet to get ill. He grimaced, and Robin gave a wince at how bad this was.

"Ambrosia..." Beast Boy frowned. "Isn't there something we can do?"

"This is her pregnancy. I looked into it already. We can only help her ride this out," Jericho sighed. "Here, love. Rinse out your mouth."

She took the cup of water to use and spat out the foul water. He cradled her gently to make sure that she was well enough to be moved. When she showed no other signs of being sick, he lifted her slowly and moved her into the bedroom. He ran a hand over her belly and thought.

"For a whole month she'll be like this?" Robin asked.

"That's what she told us. And it's what the memories show, too," Jericho frowned. "Love? Are you well enough to sit in the bed?"

"I should be all right," she sighed. She looked incredibly drained now.

"Would you like some Fae honey?" he asked.

"Maybe. A drop," she nodded. He got out the jar to administer the amount she wanted. This helped her, and she was able to fully recline in the bed. Beast Boy thought and shifted into a tiny dragon that could curl up in her lap.

"Now that's clever!" Jericho grinned. Beast Boy gave a small, fanged yawn and sighed.

"Ready for the memory extraction?" Robin asked. In response, the broken crown was pulled out of Ambrosia's bag and set up on a table.

"Hold the pieces together, and I'll do what I can," Jericho said. Ambrosia watched with concern and found herself scratching between Beast Boy's wings.

"Be careful, dear," Ambrosia frowned.

"I will," Jericho smiled softly at her. Robin cleared his throat nervously, as he pushed the broken pieces together. Now Jericho moved his hands over the crown and softly whispered several words of power. He was invoking the crown's strength to come back and reveal what happened before it died. It tried to shimmer and seemed in pain. He worked quickly to glean everything he could before the crown died again. This time it crumbled to dust and was completely destroyed.

"Father..." Ambrosia cringed. "I'm so sorry..."

Beast Boy pressed himself against her, as she hugged his reptilian body.

"I have the memories, though," Jericho swallowed. "Let me go over them. Then I'll give them to you, Robin. Beast Boy, when I give Robin the memories, she will need to heal his body like she did with you a bit earlier. Do you understand?"

Beast Boy snorted with surprise, but he nodded to show he understood. Robin watched Jericho sweep the ashes of the crown into a special vase he had reserved. It was actually an urn. Now it was sealed and stored in the bag. Once it was done, he sat back in the chair and reviewed the memories of Tintagel. From birth to death, he reviewed everything within seconds. He sat back when he was done and thought. He looked at Robin with a raised brow.

"What?" Robin asked.

"You're not going to get these memories. I can't give them to you," Jericho said.

"Why not?"

"Because. You are Elvey."

"I..." he started and paused at a sharp headache that pounded through his skull. He coughed and shook his head. "Okay. You're right.  _And I'm here._ "

" _As I am, too. Ambrosia? It's me, your father. Don't get upset. We all need to talk. Beast Boy, remember. This stays between us,_ " Jericho said in a far sterner voice. Beast Boy nodded and Ambrosia was simply in too much shock to respond. " _Ambrosia, what happened was not your fault. Sinlus is the one to blame, and he will die. Either in body or spirit, I will ensure his death._ "

" _So will I_ ," Robin mused. His voice had taken on a rather light tone to show that he normally liked to laugh. " _Do you have any idea how confusing it is for me now? Ambrosia is my daughter, yet not my daughter. I feel like a perverted parent now!_ "

" _You're not the only one,_ " Jericho grinned. " _But, remember. Robin, the one you inhabit right now, does have a life mate. Starfire._ "

" _Ah, yes. I could not forget that. Don't worry. They will get married,_ " he grinned back.

"I will not have a cycle completed!" Ambrosia fretted.

" _There isn't much of a choice,_ " Robin sighed. " _It may be this very child after Aelfric that could kill Sinlus for us. Once and for all._ "

"What?" she blinked.

" _He's right. Why else do you think he killed us and tried to keep you to himself?_ " Jericho growled. " _He knew that a child would be born of you that would kill him. He just didn't realize how fast he sped up the process! He delayed it, too. Anyways, Elvey, you know what must done._ "

" _I know, Tintagel. It will start at the gala,_ " Robin nodded. " _It will not be exactly two months ahead, so we will still have time to prepare for the tests. However, that is when everything will truly start. We must wait until then._ "

"What will start?" Ambrosia frowned.

" _You will see when the time comes,_ " Jericho sighed. " _Elvey, until then, Robin must have full control of his body. Intervene to protect him, if you must, but this is important. He is a leader of a powerful group called the Titans._ "

" _I know. I can see his memories, too,_ " he nodded. " _Don't worry. I have it all planned out._ "

" _Already, eh? You always were a fast thinker,_ " Jericho mused.

" _It's why you and I get along so well,_ " he grinned wickedly. " _I have a feeling that I may end up seeking this Slade fellow out. I'll shock him. He is much like you, Tintagel._ "

" _True. But, let's wait until he gets curious after hearing of the tests. You know that Sinlus will likely seek him out for the Unseelie Court. Sinlus is the only one that cannot speak in rhyme._ "

" _Right now, he can't. Give it time. We'll see if he shakes Slade's hand,_ " Robin snickered.

" _Oh, that would be delightful! Shake the hand of the enemy and be bound by the enemy,_ " Jericho laughed softly. " _Just remember not to come out as much as you want. It may be all right around Raven and Beast Boy, but none other. Maybe Starfire and Cyborg, too. We don't want to spoil the surprise._ "

" _No, we don't,_ " Robin nodded and rose up to move to Ambrosia's side. " _Ambrosia...as much as the body I'm in isn't related to you...I gave up my life for your safety, and it was all in vain. I'm sorry I failed to keep you safe, my daughter._ "

"King Elvey..." she shivered. "Father..."

" _Finally...you call me father..._ " Robin grimaced. " _I have waited so long to hear you say it!_ "

He moved to hug her tight, and Beast Boy moved out of the way.

"Sinlus...tore you from me...and I didn't know...who you truly were...until after..." she sobbed.

" _I know!_ " he hissed. " _And I'm sorry about Aelfric...of you not learning the truth..._ "

"Why?! Why was I lied to?!" she demanded.

" _Because of the crown!_ " Robin said, as he rocked her. " _Your mother and I both knew the crowns were to be soul-mated crowns! We realized this after I became a King! When we found out I was to have a son, we had to make the story up about Aelfric. Even Aethelwyne knew! My Queen! She saw how my crown reacted to your mother's crown! She agreed to help, since soul-mated crowns were so rare._ "

"Then why...did she pass on?!" Ambrosia asked and gazed at him.

" _Ah.._." Robin sighed painfully. " _She heard me tell your mother that I loved her. It...crushed her. She knew that my heart had purely belonged to Esmiralda. So...after Aelfric was strong enough to live without her...she let herself disintegrate. I did everything I could for her, but it was on her deathbed that she told me what she overheard. She told me to go with my heart. To make the crown become soul-mated. I did love Aethelwyne. I truly did. But, my heart belonged completely to your mother._ "

"And the same thing will happen to Starfire," she frowned. That made him cringe.

" _Ambrosia,_ " Jericho said gently. " _Your mother resides in you, too. When she comes out, it will be a difficult time for all of us. Esmiralda, Elvey, and I all died unjustly. We may not rest until Sinlus dies. Or we may not rest at all._ "

"Um, dude," Beast Boy said, as he reverted back to human. "Sorry to interrupt your little get-together, but, well, if she's going to be her mother and the two of you are going to be present, it's gonna be a bit odd. Esmiralda is going to be in Ambrosia's body! Won't that seem kinda...awkward?"

" _You have no idea,_ " Robin admitted. " _But, we have to do what we need to do._ "

" _It won't be that bad for me, but I will have the thought in the back of my mind that I'd be kissing my daughter. Trust me. You're right a hundred percent,_ " Jericho chuckled.

"It would be cool to hear you talking to Slade, though," Beast Boy grinned.

" _We can arrange it,_ " Robin grinned. " _Tintagel would know how._ "

" _Always,_ " Jericho nodded. " _Anyways, it's time we give back the minds of these bodies for now. We need to rest and plan. Don't we?_ "

" _Oh, yes,_ " Robin chuckled. " _We do._ "

A moment later, Robin was shaking his head, and Jericho was rubbing his eyes. Beast Boy gave a bit of a smirk, as he watched them come around.

"Interesting," Jericho said.

"You're telling me! Oh! I'm still hugging you," Robin said to Ambrosia.

"It's fine," she said, as she rested against his chest.

"Robin...just tell me flat out. Do you love her?" Beast Boy asked.

"I'll tell you if you don't tell anyone," he muttered.

"You can trust me," Beast Boy said.

"I do love Ambrosia. As much as Starfire," Robin frowned.

"I want to know one thing," Ambrosia said.

"What?" Jericho asked.

"My Fathers kept talking about something starting at the gala. I want to know what it is," she said. "It's not fair to me that I can't know anything."

"You're right. Not much we can do, since it will happen when we least expect it," Jericho sighed. "Your mother will end up waking up around that time and coming out. Long ago, at a gala, Elvey and Esmiralda confessed their love for each other. It was two months into her first pregnancy, you see, and Elvey knew that she would need another at various times. Tintagel was there in the background and listened in. Elvey and him got in a fist fight of sorts, and they were both forced to call a draw. They were always equals in pretty much everything. Once Esmiralda got them to stop fighting and talk it out, a pact was made between the three of them. When that pact is made again with our present bodies, the true cycle will start. That is when Sinlus will realize how badly he messed up in the past."

"I see," she frowned. "Actually, I do remember that! I told Robin about it! To an extent, though. I didn't tell him the whole thing in full detail."

"I am curious about something, though," he mused.

"What's that, love?"

"Why do you have such hostility towards Orin?"

"Orin..." she glowered and shivered. "That slimy, disgusting pile of toad feces!"

Robin gaped at her, and Beast Boy coughed with surprise.

"What did he do?" Jericho asked, as he swallowed a laugh.

"Think back with Father's memories, Jericho, dear. Remember, around my fifteenth birthday, how I was flustered and upset from a bath? How I didn't want to bathe alone and had a maid servant with me for a good year?" she asked gently. "Do you remember?"

"I do. You never told him why or your mother," Jericho frowned. Robin watched her carefully now. Elvey had already passed on, and Aelfric wasn't there at the time this happened.

"Orin...he learned about my betrothal to Aelfric. He was jealous. Insanely jealous! He...dared to approach me in my bath chamber while I was undressing. He slipped past the guards to reach me. He almost took advantage of me! He had me pinned against the wall, and...I...it was so close to being too late. I was so...embarrassed! I...I was able to thwart him and sting his eyes with soapy water to flee. There was a bucket of it nearby, and I had convinced him to let me scrub his skin before letting him continue. It was why I ran to Father so swiftly..." she cringed.

"WHAT?!" Jericho snarled out with seething hatred. Robin was glowering, as Elvey raged with this news. Beast Boy growled viciously now and took a deep breath.

"If he dares to come within three feet of you at the gala, I'll skin him alive!" Robin vowed.

"He won't make it past four feet!" Beast Boy snorted.

"We know what he looks like," Jericho shivered with rage. "He won't touch you!"

"Beast Boy, make sure you're a snake around her neck or something," Robin muttered.

"I'll plan on that," he nodded. Then she thought about something a bit wicked and whispered softly to Beast Boy. Jericho frowned and looked at Robin.

"Eh..." Beast Boy said, as he turned bright red and his jaw dropped.

"What did you tell him?" Jericho asked with a look of pure amusement.

"To be a venomous snake in my bodice," she grinned.

"Okay..." Robin blinked and started laughing.

"I think he might get distracted, love," Jericho snickered. "As it is, you two need to get back to the Tower. It's high time you did."

"Awww!" Beast Boy pouted. "We still didn't get to explore here!"

"That reminds me," Robin said. "I want to go to the gallery really quick. Jericho, do you remember a hidden portrait? One that was kept safe and hidden away?"

"I...yes. I do. Okay. Quick!" Jericho nodded. Beast Boy grinned now that they were going to an area he hadn't been to yet. Robin helped Ambrosia to her feet, and Jericho had the chair that Cyborg made for her nearby. She looked at him questionably.

"You've been getting sick a lot, dearest. This will help you," Jericho smiled. She nodded at him and settled herself in the chair. Beast Boy became the lap dragon again and curled up happily.

"You're a cheater!" Robin grinned. A forked tongue was flicked at him and Jericho chuckled. They moved through the halls to the western wing of the castle. In this long hallway, they paused at the massive portraits on the walls.

"Sinlus had torn up each one," Jericho frowned. "Ambrosia and I managed to put them back together. Now that I have Tintagel's memories, I can improve them."

"Please do, darling?" she asked. He kissed her softly and whispered several powerful words. The portraits glowed and seemed to settle back to how they were before they were tampered with.

"There. Now, let's go," he said. Robin nodded, and Beast Boy was amazed at the old portraits as they passed them. All of the Fae looked young, regal, and very wise in certain pictures. The one main thing he noticed was that none of the beings he saw had Ambrosia's eyes.  _Why was that?_  As he was about to lapse into thought, a massive portrait caught his eye, and he leaned up in her lap. He rumbled softly at the one of Ambrosia as a child, and she blushed.

"Yes. That was me at three years old," she giggled. She was simply stunning in the small dress of light rose pink. She was sitting on Tintagel's lap, and Esmiralda was posed next to her. Beast Boy realized that she got the silver hair from her father and the tinge of gold from her mother.  _But, their eyes were not hers at all._ Tintagel had eyes that seemed to reflect the deep golden color of sun-ripened wheat. Esmiralda had a set of eyes that seemed to sparkle like amethysts.  _Where did Ambrosia get the blue eyes?_ Jericho smiled softly at the picture and led them further along until they reached a narrow gap in the hallway. To the untrained eye, it was undetectable. He pushed down on the floor where a hidden moon crystal was with his foot along the wall. The small section opened, and they moved in it.

Beast Boy gave a surprised set of whistles, and Ambrosia pet his back. In the tiny chamber stood a small portrait in a gold and diamond frame. It was a foot around in diameter to be a perfect circle. It had Elvey, Tintagel, Esmiralda, and Ambrosia within the picture. Ambrosia was sitting in an elegant gold chair. Her mother sat off to her right in a similar chair. Elvey was kneeling next to Ambrosia, and Tintagel was kneeling next to Esmiralda. Now they saw who's eyes she had.

" _It's been so long since I saw this painting_ ," Robin whispered, as Elvey came forth. Elvey's portrait showed that he had the same deep blue eyes that Ambrosia had, but his hair was more of a silvery blue than silver itself. Ambrosia held the rest of her mother's facial features. Elvey was just as handsome as Tintagel was, but his face was much younger and gentler in contrast. It easily threw off anyone that thought that Elvey was a simple Fae man.

"Yes. Sinlus never knew of this portrait. No one else ever will," Jericho nodded.

"How old was I when we did this?" she frowned. "I can't quite remember."

" _You were twelve. I was forced...to kill myself about...three months after this..._ " Robin grimaced, as Elvey spoke. Jericho nodded, and he rested a hand on Ambrosia's shoulder. Tintagel was out now. Beast Boy jumped down to revert to human so he could examine the portrait better.

"You were beautiful all the time!" he blinked.

"Yes, I was," she smiled softly. "I really wish I wasn't, though."

" _I know,_ " Jericho sighed.

"Is anyone else able to see this?" Beast Boy asked.

" _Maybe after the cycle starts again,_ " Robin thought. " _Not right now. It's too risky._ "

"Did anyone realize who she was when this was painted?" he asked.

" _No. The painter was just a painter. He paid attention to detail, but that was it,_ " Jericho said.

"Elvey and Tintagel look nothing like each other," Beast Boy grinned.

" _We never did, but we got along as though we knew each other our whole lives,_ " Jericho grinned back. " _Remember how we first met?_ "

" _What? How could I forget?_ " Robin smirked. " _We were both exploring the same forest. We ended up tracking each other and realized how much we had in common just by that alone._ "

" _We almost trapped each other, too,_ " Jericho laughed. " _Relocating wildlife for the human villages. You have to love those days._ "

" _I know. Ooh! Remember the human that tried to steal from us?_ " Robin grinned wickedly.

" _Don't remind me!_ " Jericho groaned. " _He was so stupid he gave me a headache for a solid week! He had no idea how to survive in the forest, much less try to steal!_ "

"I'm sure the memories are well and good, but I'm sure the Tower needs to be seen to even more, hmm?" Ambrosia chuckled. Jericho looked at her with a small smile and a shake of his head.

" _Funny. That's what Esmiralda would say when we started reminiscing. She would pull us back to the present,_ " Robin said with a twinge of pain.

"Mother misses you, too," Ambrosia frowned. "She is waiting to see you at the right time."

" _You know this?! How?!_ " Robin asked her sternly.

"As I saw her face in the portrait, she told me so," she shivered. "I miss Mother, too. I miss everyone. My brothers and sisters...my friends..."

" _Ambrosia,_ " Jericho cringed and moved to hug her tight.

" _You're not alone,_ " Robin sighed and squeezed her shoulder. " _Don't think you are._ "

"You aren't alone, Ambrosia!" Beast Boy said sternly.

"For a thousand years, I sat in...in..." she gasped, and Jericho hugged her tighter. "I need...my husband...Jericho...please...!"

"I'm here!" he whispered and kissed her hard. "You never have to ask for me! I'm right here!"

"I feel that I need to...make sure it's you now..." she whimpered.

"You two. Out. Now!" he growled, as he kissed her again. Robin nodded and grabbed Beast Boy's arm to haul him out into the main gallery hallway.

"When he talks like that, he's serious, huh?" Beast Boy grinned.

" _She needed him. I can already tell that this will be difficult for her. As it is, it's going to be interesting at each meeting with the Titans,_ " Robin sighed. " _Let's head back._ "

"Okay," he said. Robin focused and then paused.

" _Drat! I forgot that this body lacks magical focus. I'll need some moon crystals. Fully charged ones to keep on me at all times,_ " Robin muttered. " _Blue ones are best, but any will work right now._ "

"Ahem!" Beast Boy said and produced the red moon crystal Jericho gave him a few days ago.

" _Thanks,_ " he chuckled.

"I want that back!" Beast Boy warned.

" _You'll get it back,_ " he promised. He focused on it, and the two of them found themselves on the Tower roof. The crystal was given back, and now Robin moved off to find Starfire.

"So, what happened with you two?" Cyborg asked, as he caught them walking down the hall.

"I have an alter ego now," Robin sighed.

"What?" he asked.

"He's Elvey, too. It's kinda permanent right now. But, he's able to sort of switch places back and forth. It's hard to explain," Beast Boy shrugged.

"You're joking, right?" Cyborg blinked.

" _Nope! It's all true,_ " Robin grinned a touch wickedly with his lighter voice.

"And you're not Robin," he frowned.

" _I am Elvey. King Elvey of the Southern Section of the Fae Realms. Friend to King Tintagel, as well as brother-in-arms. Used to be, that is, if you think of how I died in the past. I have no idea what's going on now. What's that sound?_ " Robin mused, as his communicator went off.

"Eh, that means a robbery is taking place," Beast Boy said.

" _Ah. Right. Take over until we get there,_ " Robin mused to himself, and he blinked. "Ugh. This is going to be confusing! Sorry, Cyborg."

"Is this really necessary?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah. If it's to stop Sinlus and give the Unseelie Court a run for their money, it is. Before we head out, I need a few blue moon crystals. Charged up and flawless. The darker the blue, the better," he said. "Elvey's a bit ticked that I have no ability to create Fae magic on my own."

"Really?" Cyborg smirked.

"You have  _no_  idea!" Robin scowled in a tone completely unlike him. Cyborg blinked and sighed.

"What's Star gonna say?" he asked.

"She'll have to accept this for now," Robin grimaced. He walked up to Raven's door and knocked on it. Raven answered and nodded to him. Then she looked at him funny.

"You're not Robin," she said.

"I am, but I'm not. I'll inform you as we head out. We have a break-in," Robin said.

"Okay," she said.

"I also need as many charged, flawless blue moon crystals as possible. For Elvey," he said.

"Okay..." she frowned. "Hmm. We still have a few left over. Herald did charge them before he left to rest. Let me grab them. You'd better talk to Starfire before she freaks."

"Will do!" Robin nodded. He moved over to where she was humming and organizing some books. "Star. I need to talk to you before we stop a break-in."

"Robin!" she beamed and hugged him. "You wish to speak with me? Okay!"

"Star, I have Elvey's personality free in my head. You could say that, well, he and I are living in the same mind right now. He knows I love you, and he wants me to marry you. However, with the gala coming up in a couple weeks, he needs to have Ambrosia bring out her mother. You're going to see some...painful things happen. But, I want you to remember one thing.  _It won't be me in control._  It will be Elvey. I'm telling you this so that you're prepared for it. I love you! I am going to be telling you this over and over so that you understand. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Robin asked her.

"Um...I think so," she frowned. "You are saying that...Elvey may have you do things to Ambrosia, but it will not be you. It will be him. Correct?"

"Yes. You need to remember this. Something needs to happen at the gala to push things in motion. There is no other way around it. I wish there was...but there simply isn't. I just want you to remember what I'm telling you. Raven will also help remind you. So will Beast Boy."

"What of Cyborg?"

"He'll be told in time. Likely later tonight. We need to get to this break-in. Raven?" Robin asked, and she tossed him a bag of the moon crystals he needed. He pulled one out to examine it and he nodded. "Good. Titans? Let's move!"

"You'll probably smash the guy flat," Beast Boy grinned.

"Maybe.  _Or I'll laugh myself to pieces,_ " Robin grinned wickedly. " _Like that Dr. Light guy. What a piece of work! Hah! Now I'm in a good mood._ "

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

" _No. I'm Elvey,_ " he grinned. " _Don't worry. I'll keep his body safe._ "

"You had better..." Raven glowered.

" _Oh?_ " Robin smirked and took out a blue moon crystal. He invoked it, and it shimmered to life. Power crackled around him and empowered him. Starfire was gaping with the others. Then he absorbed it and stretched, as his strength, speed, and endurance enhanced.

"What...did you just...do...?" Beast Boy gaped.

" _I enhanced myself. Child's play,_ " Robin grinned and tossed the empty moon crystal back into the bag to let it sink to the bottom of the pile. " _Let's go, Titans!_ "

"Child's play? No kidding," Cyborg muttered. Elvey's attitude was like Robin's, but it wasn't. Elvey was used to working with only one other person.  _None of them were Tintagel._ He missed Ambrosia, and he sighed. She may be his daughter mentally, but she was Fae and not related to him in body. Being around the others started to feel weird, but then Robin nudged him mentally to let him take control. Elvey could only agree. At the car, Robin gave his familiar smile and wave to them.

"At least we know  _that's_  Robin," Beast Boy chuckled.

"I am confused," Starfire sighed. "He has the mind of another in his now."

"Robin is still there in control. Right now, we have to go with what's planned ahead. We have no way to defeat the Unseelie Court on our own," Raven frowned. "We can only trust that Robin and Jericho will help fill in the gaps when the time is right."

"Why not now?" Starfire frowned.

"Because we are always being watched," Raven said. "We have to be kept out of various loops. It's important right now. Robin does love you, Starfire. Don't worry. Trust in that. He was telling you these things so that you would know that he may not be in control of various situations. He really does want to marry you. Believe in Robin."

"Okay," she nodded. "I will trust in Robin."

"Good girl," Raven smiled. Beast Boy nodded to them, and Cyborg could only sigh. Robin let Cyborg drive them to where they needed to go, and Elvey was gleaning in the sights. He was clearly not used to this, and now he knew why Tintagel told him to let Robin lead most of the time. Elvey had a lot to learn, and now he was studying Robin's mind furiously to catch up to the thousand years he's missed.

" _Amazing,_ " Robin mused in Elvey's state of mind. " _So much advancement the humans did. Yet, they also lost so much. We hid in the shadows of time. Humans charged forward and made the world theirs. Heh. Incredible. It's mind blowing._ "

"I know," Raven nodded, as her robe was giving the same thoughts.

" _Robe, I need to ask you,_ " Robin said. " _This one only knows so much. Do you know what all Sinlus did after the wedding? Can you figure out his movements?_ "

"Hmm," Raven thought. The other three in the car listened in curiously. "My robe is unsure. It will try to remember for you. Give it time."

" _Will do,_ " Robin nodded. " _Cyborg? How far off are we?_ "

"Another five miles and we're there," he said.

" _Good. Let me see. How many are in here?_ " Robin mused, as he counted the crystals. " _Twenty. Wow! That's more than what could be found in any given week!_ "

"You have to admit that Kid Flash and Mas y Menos have been busy!" Beast Boy grinned.

"That they have," Robin agreed. "Star? Are you okay?"

"I am fine. I just worry about you, Robin," she frowned.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he smiled warmly at her. It was the smile she always knew, and she smiled back. Elvey was making sure not to interrupt their relationship. If he planned to get Ambrosia pregnant, then Robin had to be married to someone he cared about. He was about to reminisce about his Queen from the past, but he shoved the memory down.  _It wasn't needed here. She let herself die. She refused to accept various things. Esmiralda was strong and beautiful, and she gave me a daughter that reflected her inner will. A daughter that held my eyes._  He sighed and smiled to himself.

"Hey, Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"Huh?" he replied.

"What are you thinking about in that head of yours? It's not often you're this quiet."

"Ah. Well, just thinking about Esmiralda. That's all," he sighed.

"Oh? We have a bit of a drive. Tell us about her," Raven said.

"Yeah. Like, um, what's with the deep blue eyes?" Beast Boy asked. "When we were in the gallery, I saw that no other Fae had those eyes!"

" _Heh. You caught that?_ " Robin mused, as Elvey came out. " _Blue is not only needed for moon crystals, you know. Any Fae with blue eyes holds incredible power. The darker, the better. Like mine when I was alive. I was one of the few that possessed them, so all knew exactly how powerful I was. I'm just...glad Ambrosia has them now._ "

"So...Ambrosia truly was your half-daughter?" Starfire asked.

" _Yes. She was. Is. I dunno anymore,_ " Robin sighed. " _It's...frustrating. I see her as a friend on one side, and, on the other, I see her as my daughter. I'm going to have a headache, if I keep thinking about it! But, yes. She inherited my eyes before I died. My son, Aelfric, had inherited a portion of his mother's eyes. Still blue, to show his power, but like the color of the sky. His mother's name was Aethelwyne. She was beautiful, but she was also weak. I did love her, but she let herself die after Aelfric was strong enough to live without her._ "

"Why would she do that?!" Cyborg frowned.

" _Because she heard me give my love to Esmiralda,_ " he replied with a sigh. " _I did love my Queen. But...I loved Esmiralda more._ "

"Oh..." Starfire frowned.

" _Don't worry, Starfire. You will never lose your place in his heart. This I know,_ " Robin winked at her. That actually made her blush. " _I just find it strange at how much life Ambrosia has within her. It makes me wonder if the next child we would have had would have been...would have been..._ "

"Would have been what?" Beast Boy frowned.

" _Why didn't I see this before?!_ " Robin snarled out and reached for the communicator frantically. " _That's why Sinlus pulled what he did! That's why everyone was trying to kill us!_ "

"What?" Raven asked, but Robin was already contacting Jericho.

"Jericho here," he said, as the bedroom background came into view.

" _Tintagel!_ " Robin said quickly. " _Ambrosia is full of life! What is the other side of a coin when it comes to life?! Think about it!_ "

" _That would be...oh...you think that's why...?!_ " Jericho gaped.

" _Yes! I do!_ " Robin seethed. " _Someone knew something, and that someone was Sinlus! There's a break-in happening right now. I'll talk to you later._ "

" _Fine. Come and see me when you're done!_ " Jericho growled and disconnected.

"The other side of life? The opposite. That's...death..." Beast Boy blinked.

"If Ambrosia is life, you think the next child would have been...?" Raven started with wide eyes.

" _Say nothing!_ " Robin warned. " _This is why Sinlus was taking us out. He knew the next child made would have been his bane and the bane of the Unseelie Court!_ "

"That's...crazy..." Cyborg frowned. "But, it does makes sense why he'd want you all dead, too. Unbelievable! And he made Ambrosia go through all that pain!"

"I think he was hoping to make that next child," Beast Boy frowned.

" _To make a bane for..._ " Robin grimaced. " _This is big._ "

"A bane for what?" Starfire asked.

" _For life itself. For everything good. For everything the Unseelie Court wanted to destroy,_ " Robin muttered. " _I want to take care of this break-in. Then I need to have a long chat with Tintagel._ "

"I'm starting to miss Robin," Starfire frowned. He looked at her and reached out to place his hand over hers. That simple gesture calmed her, and she clasped his hand back.

"Come with me when I go to see him, then," he said.

"Okay," she nodded.

"We should all go," Cyborg said. "The Tower defenses are good to go, and I can monitor them from my own satellite feed. We also have an instant way back, right?"

"That we do now," Robin nodded. "Okay. Where is the break-in?"

"We're looking at it," Raven glowered at the hole in the side of the jewelry store. A playing card was left behind, and Beast Boy sniffed it in his wolf form before shifting back.

"It smells like Mumbo the Magician," he growled.

"Mumbo?! We took his hat!" Cyborg frowned.

" _So...he works in magic, eh?_ " Robin grinned wickedly. " _Give me the card._ "

"What will you do?" Starfire asked, as Robin took it. He took out a blue moon crystal and focused slightly. The card glowed and fluttered in the wind.

" _Making a compass. Let's go!_ " he grinned.

"Now this is cheating!" Cyborg smirked.

"If it gets the job done, I'm not complaining," Raven said. The card led them directly back to its owner, and Mumbo was holed up in an abandoned building with the loot. The blue-skinned, white haired magician in his cloak and tux looked over with annoyance. His hat was missing, since they had it locked up in their evidence chamber for safe keeping. When they approached, Cyborg blasted open a wall with his gun, and Robin had leapt down from the ceiling to crouch on the ground before standing tall. Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy appeared after that to glower.

"The Titans? Hah! Mumbo has a new magic trick for you!" he grinned.

" _I doubt that it will be impressive,_ " Robin said with a grin. " _Shall we test the theory?_ "

"What theory? Magic is real!" he argued.

" _I know,_ " Robin shrugged, took three steps, and was now right behind the cloaked man. " _You could say that I have over five hundred years of experience working with it! And I don't go for the slight-of-hand garbage, either! Come with us peacefully, or, well, make me laugh and you may live longer._ "

"How did you get behind me?!" Mumbo gaped as he turned, and Robin was behind him again to jab him in the back with his pole. "How did you get your weapon out?!"

" _Like I said,_ " Robin grinned wickedly. " _I don't use slight-of-hand!_ "

"Neither do I!" Mumbo growled. Raven and the others didn't bother moving from where they were. Now Mumbo was getting nervous.  _Why weren't they helping?!_

" _I brought my audience. Where's yours? Hiding in the shadows to mock you? Afraid to show their true thoughts as to who the real magician is? I don't like the term 'magician'. It sounds phony. I like Mage. Warlock. Sorcerer. What do you think? Are you an amateur at this? I think you are!_ " Robin snickered. " _You are just a no good, wannabe illusionist who tries to make up for it with big stunts!_ "

"Stunts?!" Mumbo screeched and turned to find Robin gone.

" _Too slow!_ " he cackled and slammed him into the back.

"What...are you?!" Mumbo gasped. "Who are you?! You are not Robin of the Titans!"

" _I am King Elvey of the Southern Sections of the Fae Realms. At least I was before I died. You want real magic? Real, wild, untamed energy? You got it!_ " Robin snarled, took out one of the largest blue moon crystals from the bag, and focused. He whispered one word of power, and Raven's eyes got wide. Mumbo stared at the odd crystal, as it shimmered. Then it sparked out and floated in the air. It started to glow, as if on a timing count down, and it hovered in front of Mumbo's astonished face. Robin already had another moon crystal in his hands to help protect himself for what was going to happen next.

"Everyone! Get down! Find cover!" Raven hissed. They ducked for cover, as Robin shouted out another word of power. The crystal exploded right in Mumbo's face. When the explosion settled, and it was safe to come out, Robin was dusting himself off. Mumbo was halfway through three walls. The now empty moon crystal he held was tossed back into the bag. It was second nature to him.

" _Hmm. That one was half-way charged. A shame. He should have been blown out across the street and through the next two buildings,_ " Robin sighed. He walked over to Mumbo, hauled him out of the wall with a strength that Cyborg easily possessed, and tossed the wounded man to the ground. " _He's alive. Pity. But, he's done. Out cold. He won't wake up for a month. He'll be a zombie and do what we say until then. Did you find the jewels?_ "

"I found them!" Beast Boy said, as he found the bag. "Um...what did you do with that crystal?"

" _I invoked it to explode,_ " Robin grinned. " _The dust will vanish in a few minutes. It will all disperse back into dew drop water. That's what happens unless it's used right away. But, it's useless. Uncharged crystals can be crushed into powder, and the powder can be stored. But, for charged crystals, when they are destroyed like that, the dust is useless and disperses._ "

"You wasted a perfectly good blue moon crystal," Raven sighed. "And it was a large one."

" _Waste? Nah! This guy had it coming. He called himself a 'magician'. He got me mad. Let's get back to the Tower after we book this guy,_ " Robin chuckled. " _We have to see Jericho._ "

"Dude, that thing exploded! Hard! How did you survive that?!" Beast Boy gaped.

" _I made a shield using the same energy as the blast with another moon crystal. It went over me, and the dust was harmless after it discharged,_ " Robin shrugged, as though it was second-hand knowledge. All of it was child's play to him. " _Piece of cake._ "

"You're giving me a headache!" Cyborg muttered. "On my real brain side!"

" _Sorry,_ " Robin grinned wickedly with a chuckle. " _It's a habit I have._ "

Starfire couldn't believe the power that Robin possessed now. She knew it wasn't getting to him, and that this was something that Elvey did all the time, but it still worried her. Raven put a knowing hand on her shoulder and sighed. Nods were exchanged, and they dragged the man behind them while he groaned in pain. No one would believe him if he said anything, and that was Robin wanted.

"There you guys are! Um...wow. What happened to him?" Kid Flash asked when he appeared.

" _I blew up a moon crystal in his face,_ " Robin shrugged.

"You what?" he blinked.

"He is not Robin. Not...fully right now..." Starfire frowned.

"Okay, I'm missing something," Kid Flash frowned.

"Tons," Beast Boy sighed. "Robin has the mind of a powerful guy named Elvey. Used to be a King and all. They sort of...take turns doing things. It's hard to explain."

"It's downright confusing!" Cyborg said.

" _Do you have any flawless blue moon crystals?_ " Robin asked.

"I do. I got about four of them. They aren't charged yet, though," Kid Flash said.

" _A shame. When they charge, can you get them to me? We have to go to Ireland to see Jericho after this guy gets booked,_ " Robin said.

"I'll handle him if you guys need to get to Jericho. Mas y Menos almost have half the moon crystals we need for the Towers being built," he said.

" _Excellent! Don't install them when they're charged. It's best to do it when they aren't. If they are charged, well, be careful. If they crack, you'll set off an explosion. And then this happens,_ " Robin smirked, as he nudged a thumb at Mumbo. " _He got slammed through three walls. And that was with only a half-charged blue moon crystal at half an inch in diameter._ "

"Ah...wow. Okay. Warning is noted!" Kid Flash blinked.

"Well, here's the jewels from the store that got trashed. You sure you got Mumbo?" Beast Boy asked. "If you need help..."

"I got it. Don't worry," Kid Flash grinned. Cyborg had them pile into the car, and Kid Flash was already gone with the jewels and the villain.

" _A Dr. Light and a magician. Pathetic!_ " Robin growled. " _The Unseelie Court would even be laughing at them for centuries! Amazing!_ "

"What do  _you_  call a bad guy? Oh, wait. Sinlus fits the bill," Cyborg frowned, as he started to drive back. Robin could only nod and grimace at the name.

" _He forced me to kill myself, and it was all for nothing! I'll never forgive him for that!_ " Robin growled out. " _He is going to die! Either by me, Tintagel, or by some other means. I'll make sure of it!_ "

"He killed many that didn't need to die," Starfire frowned. "Even children."

"And animals," Beast Boy growled lightly.

"And he still has no regard for life," Raven frowned at her robes thoughts. "My robe remembers what happened after the wedding. He ransacked the castle after Ambrosia fled. She claimed back much from his own words, though, so he couldn't take much. It was luck that my robe wasn't found, but I think it had something to do with that, too. These robes can become invisible to those that aren't meant to wear them. But, only for a short time. After he left the castle, it lay empty as though it was uninhabitable. And it was. The castle was as cold and empty as Ambrosia's prison. Only when she came back did the castle find life again. This is what my robe remembers."

" _So, after Sinlus lost interest, that was that,_ " Robin sighed. " _Figures. That's how it always was with the Unseelie, too. Show that you're boring, and they ignore you. Give them attention, they want to play with you. They never play fair, either._ "

"Of course, they don't," Raven said. "You think a slap on the wrist is enough? A whole castle civilization was destroyed in one night!"

" _How did he do it?_ " Robin grimaced. " _I need to know._ "

"He drained out the crystals first. Then he let the energy loose on everyone and everything. Whatever crystals didn't release fast enough, he dislodged them or broke them in. If anyone tried to intervene, he would threaten to destroy the box at his side."

" _He had no intention of doing it, either._ "

"No. He didn't. Why destroy something that bound the one he wanted, as well as his own power? It would make no sense. He would have killed himself."

" _I should have slaughtered him!_ " Robin snarled out and seethed before hissing out a sigh. " _No good worrying about the past. I have a chance to fix something now. I need to have it fixed._ "

"What will happen when it is fixed?" Starfire asked.

" _I don't know. Maybe separate from Robin. Maybe I'll be able to rest. Maybe be reborn through Ambrosia. I just...I don't know..._ " Robin gave a worried frown and wiped a tear away.

"Why are you crying?" Cyborg frowned.

" _Because my daughter suffered for my mistake. Because the Fae Queen I truly loved died on my daughter's wedding day and birthday. My best friend and brother suffered the same fate. I grieve for my son's death, too. Like Ambrosia, I've been holding it in for a long time. Battle Mages aren't supposed to show emotions...not supposed to grieve or cry...but..._ " his voice threatened to break, and he coughed.

"Robin," Starfire frowned and felt her own heart aching for him. She knew it was Elvey talking, but it was still Robin to her. She had never seen Robin cry before.

"If you cry, we won't tell," Beast Boy said.

"You have my vote on that," Cyborg nodded. Raven gave her own nod with Starfire.

" _I will grieve...when I see my daughter again..._ " Robin said with a controlled breath. Starfire was in the front seat, so she could only nod to him. The rest of the ride was done in silence. The moment they reached the Tower and stepped out, Robin took out a blue moon crystal to transport them all to Ireland. When they got there, Ambrosia was waiting for them with Jericho. Robin moved to her, and she was ready to receive him to grieve with him. Jericho knew that this was needed.

"Let them grieve. She will grieve again to help him heal," Jericho sighed. "And did he really blow up a blue moon crystal?! What a waste!"

"I said the same thing," Raven said with a soft chuckle. Starfire was watching Robin cling to Ambrosia, but it was one that a father would do to a daughter. As the sobbing got harder, Jericho hung his head and shook it. Cyborg was grimacing and Beast Boy was looking away. Only when it finally ceased and Robin was able to take several deep, gasping breaths was his mind able to clear.

"Feel better?" Jericho asked.

" _Not really. But...it's a start,_ " Robin shivered. He whispered softly to Ambrosia and placed a warm kiss on her temple. He hugged her tight again and let Jericho hold her to help comfort her.

"It's really different watching you with her," Cyborg admitted. "You really were her dad."

" _Yeah. I was,_ " Robin sighed. " _When the owner of this body returns, he will see her as a true friend. But, to me...she's my daughter. When Esmiralda awakens in her, well, it will be awkward._ "

"Ouch," Cyborg sighed. "Well, at least you're able to see her again somehow. Right?"

" _True,_ " Robin said. " _At first, I felt...out of place with all of you. But, now I see why Robin chose you all as his best friends. It makes sense to me now._ "

"Will you let us help you attack something next time?" Raven mused.

" _If you can keep up,_ " Robin grinned. That got small bits of laughter and chuckles. Jericho had his face pressed into Ambrosia's neck, and she reached up to touch his throat. Her crown flared out the soft, blue light of healing, and his voice was complete at last.

"Ambrosia!" Jericho growled and coughed.

"Now your throat is normal," she smiled.

"So it would seem," he said, as his voice leveled out into the strong, noble one he had in his dream with Aelfric. It was commanding and showed true leadership.

"That voice does not suit you at all!" Beast Boy chuckled.

"Would you prefer sign language?" he grinned.

"I still don't know how that works," Beast Boy mumbled. That got Jericho laughing, and Ambrosia smiled softly. He kissed his wife deeply and helped her stand.

"Have you been using my chair?" Cyborg grinned.

"On occasion. I need to keep walking around," Ambrosia nodded.

" _All right. We need to get down to business. Tintagel?_ " Robin asked.

" _Elvey. Right. We are safe to speak freely here. So, you think Esmiralda's next child, if it was from us, would have been Ambrosia's opposite to control death instead of life?_ " Jericho asked.

" _Exactly. That is what I think. It's the only reason why we would have been targeted so ruthlessly by everyone! It makes me wonder even now,_ " Robin sighed.

"Um...I am curious..." Starfire frowned. "How would another child be born? Esmiralda is gone, yes? How would this come about?"

" _We're not sure right now. We'll figure it out down the road,_ " Robin shrugged. Jericho gave a small grimace. He already knew how it was going to happen.  _The child would have to be born from Ambrosia and would gain a significant power boost. It was both a blessing and a curse._ Beast Boy had already gone silent. Ambrosia already knew what had to happen, and Beast Boy was warned to be silent about it for Starfire's sake. He clearly understood. Raven had a vague idea, but her robe had to keep it secret for now. Cyborg simply didn't understand.

"Well, we're not going to get anything done by sitting here. What's the plan?" Cyborg asked.

" _The next two weeks are for harvesting crystals and setting up defenses at each Tower. Once they are in place, the invitation to a gala will be sent through the crystals. Any Fae or building that has a charged moon crystal will receive the message. Leave that to me,_ " Jericho said. " _I'm sure that many will be in a dire state of shock at where the gala is going to be held._ "

" _I can only imagine,_ " Robin mused. " _And, if Orin shows up..._ "

"I'll kill him!" Beast Boy snarled.

"What's this?" Raven frowned. Jericho told them the story of what Orin tried to do to Ambrosia in her youth. That made everyone completely livid.

"We will show that poor excuse of maggot droppings some neutrality," Ambrosia frowned. That got snickers and laughter all around. "If he tries anything, then you all can do what you will."

" _Fine,_ " Jericho nodded. " _Of course, this place needs a bit more plant growth._ "

"I can do that now," Ambrosia said. "Robin? Can I have a moon crystal, please?"

"Here," he said and plucked one from the bag at his hip to give to her. The others didn't know what she was planning, and any Titans that were living there currently were suddenly getting the vibe that something was happening. They started to gather around, and Robin held up his hands to calm them. She smiled at everyone before taking a deep breath. Then she focused and absorbed all of the energy the small blue moon crystal held. That had both Jericho and Robin gape with shock.

"Yes. Mother has been teaching me," she said with a soft smile. Then she looked around, braced herself, and gave a small shout as power erupted from her fingers to land over the ground. There was a deep rumbling around them, and trees shot up to sprout various fruits, blossoms, and rich, green leaves. Moss carpeted any blank spot of land, and vines crawled up the castle walls to bloom colorful, fragrant flowers. Each hut was treated the same way, and the Titans there were gaping with awe.

She levitated slightly in the air as a warm, richly scented wind filtered around them to perfume the atmosphere around the castle and the grounds. Soft, shimmering lights, much like fireflies, danced around and under the trees now. The lights that Jericho had created were mainly for guidance and for surveillance. These new lights were for simple entertainment to be pleasing to the eye and to enjoy. She closed her eyes to focus slightly and snapped them open to shout again for a single, large tree to grow near the entrance of the castle. Then it came to life in the form of a Treant with a savage roar.

" _Ambrosia!_ " Robin gaped in shock.

"Stop! You'll endanger our son!" Jericho gasped. She ignored him and focused on the Treant again. The bark on it thickened and grew thorns. Clawed, branch-like fingers emerged so that it could help defend, if it needed to. She would have to upgrade it further, but, for now, it was enough. Only when the Treant gave out one last powerful roar and closed its glowing green eyes to sleep, did Ambrosia's feet touch the ground. Jericho was quick to hug her tight as she collapsed, and he trembled with worry.

"Whoa..." Beast Boy gaped at the rich life around them now.

"No Fae should be able to show this much power," Raven marveled.

"That tree monster! What is it?" Starfire asked.

" _It's called a Treant. They are old-world guardians of the forests we used to call home,_ " Robin frowned. "Ugh! It's me. Wow! I never thought I'd see anything like this!"

"A Treant? Are they strong?" Cyborg mused.

"It could crush steel, if it had the right grip," Jericho chuckled. Ambrosia was sleeping deeply against his chest from all the energy she expended. "I need to take her to bed. The next two weeks are going to be a mess. From crystal harvesting, to charging, to defenses...and then to send out the invitations when everything is ready. I have a feeling that Ambrosia will be 'decorating' the smaller castle by the Tower next. We'll have to play it by ear."

"So pretty!" Pantha said as a new, flickering light swirled about her finger and flitted off to play with some other lights. Kole and Gnarrk were admiring the large blossoms on their cottage. Many of them resembled flowers they were used to seeing in the jungle.

"Wow," Jinx gasped, as she breathed in the refreshing air. "This is amazing!"

"Incredible..." Bushido whispered at what he witnessed. "Is she all right?"

"She will be. She's sleeping right now," Jericho nodded. "Robin will inform you all of what the next two weeks will hold. We have a lot to do, and time is ticking away."

"He's right! Titans, gather around!" Robin said. The next several hours passed by with planning, communication to other Titans from their communicators, and setting up tactics for gathering crystals more efficiently. Jericho was busy listening to everything in the bedroom through the moon crystals and giving Robin mental advice when it was needed. Ambrosia was sleeping the whole time. When the meeting was over, Robin was drained and needed to sleep. The others were the same way.

"Home? Bed? Sleep?" Beast Boy begged.

"Yeah. Home," Robin nodded. "You guys go. I still have unfinished business with Jericho. That and Elvey still has some questions for Tintagel."

"Leader's work is never done, eh?" Cyborg grinned.

"Tell me about it!" he muttered. Starfire got hugged tight, and he whispered, "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I love you, Starfire."

"I love you, too, Robin," she blushed. He chuckled and kissed her. When they left, he went straight into the castle to the bedroom and knocked on the door lightly before entering the room.

"She's still asleep. Keep it down," Jericho muttered, as he closed the door.

"Really?" he frowned. "Okay."

" _Game of chess, old friend?_ " Jericho smiled, as Tintagel emerged.

" _Like old times, eh?_ " Robin grinned, as Elvey emerged now. " _You would think that I'd need to sleep._ "

" _The part that is Robin needs sleep. Fae don't really need sleep. It can be held back for up to two months. Remember?_ "

" _True. Ah...hmm. Okay,_ " he sighed. " _Robin wants to say goodnight to Ambrosia._ "

" _Go ahead,_ " Jericho chuckled. Robin moved over to the bedside and knelt down to press a small kiss to her lips. A soft sigh seemed to escape her, and she slipped into a deeper sleep. That made him chuckle, and he moved back over to the chessboard table.

" _Who goes first?_ " he mused.

" _I will. Tint or clear?_ "

" _Clear,_ " Robin said, as he moved a pawn. They were halfway through the game when Ambrosia woke with a sharp gasp and sat up rigid.

" _Ambrosia?!_ " Jericho said. The game was now forgotten. He was right at her side, and she clung to him. "What is it, love? Can you tell me?"

"Just...a nightmare..." she shivered.

" _Of what?_ " Robin asked, as he nudged the sleeping side of his mind awake.

"I was running through a forest," she started and Jericho cradled her. "I found a stream and knelt to drink. When I looked up...I saw Sinlus. He was...shaking hands with Orin. Then they saw me and ran at me. I...tried to scream and run away, but I could feel them catching up to me..."

"Orin was shaking hands with Sinlus?!" Jericho asked with disgust.

" _I think it's a premonition,_ " Robin said. He took out a blue moon crystal to give to her. " _My daughter, show us what happened with a projection? Can you?_ "

"I'll try," she nodded and held the crystal. She took a deep breath to focus, and the image appeared with near-perfect holographic projection on the wall. When it got to the scene of Orin shaking hands with Sinlus, Jericho held up his hand to freeze the image on the wall. Tintagel was now aware to show his concern.

" _Is that really Orin?_ " he frowned. Aelfric's memories came up to compare. The original Orin had beach-blond hair, pointed ears, and light brown eyes. His build was slender, yet sturdy to show he was an acrobat to slip into various places unseen. His profession was solid illusion and glamour. The one in the image showed a Fae man with dark orange hair, dark brown eyes, and a build that was a lot more built than the younger, slender one.  _The face was the same._

" _So, it is him,_ " Robin muttered. " _But, it looks like he's been preparing himself. Getting stronger after all these years. I bet he's still an idiot._ "

" _If he's shaking hands with Sinlus, I'm sure he is. Unless, this didn't happen yet. It could mean various things. It could also be something that happened in the past. We won't know for sure until we see him at the gala. That's if he shows up,_ " Jericho growled.

" _If he wants to live, then he won't show,_ " Robin sighed. " _But, we should set up a precaution._ "

" _I've been planting slightly charged moon crystals all over. Don't worry about that. If someone, or something, tries to get in, I'll know. Every door and window has a small crystal embedded in them somewhere. I took care of that measure. Believe me._ "

" _As long as I dance with Ambrosia before anything happens. That's my main goal,_ " Robin nodded. " _Once things move into motion, we can see what needs to be done from there._ "

" _When do you plan to marry Starfire?_ " Jericho asked. Robin was given the chance to talk now.

"It depends on how the gala goes. If it goes well, I could wait until after Aelfric is born before deciding on what to do. I know that Star is going to want to go to her planet and have the wedding there. Or, if her people allow it, they could come here. It may be safer there, though," Robin smiled.

"We could make sure Blackfire is in jail," Jericho mused.

"True. Scare her while we're there," he grinned. "Ambrosia? Are you all right now?"

"I think so," she nodded. Jericho took the crystal from her to keep the image within it. He'll be studying it later. "How much time went by?"

" _It's likely nightfall at the Tower. Robin needs more sleep. I'll be playing chess with Tintagel again. Do you need more sleep?_ " he asked.

"I think I'm good," she smiled. "But, now I am worried."

"Nothing will happen to you," Jericho frowned. Tintagel wisely backed down to let Jericho take over. He had an idea of how this would pan out.

"It's not that. Mother...she told me what needs to happen at the gala..." she said with a hard frown. "I don't like it. I don't want to be a part of it."

"Darling..." Jericho grimaced.

"No!" she growled, and Robin swallowed when he looked away. "It's my body! My mind! I will not be made a spectacle of! I don't want this!"

"If there was another way, then we'd do it," Jericho sighed.

"Well, find another way!" she growled and got out of the bed. Then she ran to the bathroom and got sick. He scowled and moved after her with Robin close behind.

" _If nothing happens at the gala, then we may be able to find another way,_ " Robin said. " _But, if it does happen, then you can't say that we haven't tried to keep it from happening. Agreed?_ "

"I..." she sighed, as she coughed, retched, and trembled. Jericho gave her some water to rinse her mouth out with, and she spat it out when she was done. Another sigh was done, and she whispered, "Fine. If nothing happens at the gala, then we shall see. It's just...my body is mine! I'm already going through so much and...and..."

"I know," Jericho sighed, as he ran a hand over her back. "Let's just focus on the next week or two. Shall we? When it gets close to the gala, I'm sure you'll need to fashion a new dress, hmm?"

"Well..." she gave a small blush. "you are right...I suppose..."

"No one will touch you. Just keep a moon crystal on you at all times. Easiest thing to do, right?" he smiled and kissed her forehead. She looked at him and blinked her deep blue eyes softly. Robin knew that Elvey was just amazed at how well his eyes suited her face and form. Jericho kissed her lovingly now and moved to carry her in his arms. The love they shared left a bitter taste in Robin's mouth. Now he blinked and muttered in frustration. He knew that Elvey was building up the same jealous emotion he had long ago when Tintagel first married Esmiralda. He was preparing him for what was going to happen at the gala. _It was something that had to take place._ He was going to have almost two weeks of intense, emotional baggage riding in his head, and he couldn't let it interfere with his job with the Titans.

"Robin?" she asked him gently.

"I need to go back to the Tower. Um...I may be a bit scarce, but only because we have a lot to do. I'll definitely see you at the gala," Robin smiled.

"Okay," she nodded. Jericho could only give a grim nod. He knew what was going on. He let Robin hug her tight, and she hugged him back just as tight.

"You can avoid all of this right now and return my affections..." he whispered in her ear.

"Robin...you know I can't do that..." she sighed.

"Then we have no choice," he sighed back and kissed her cheek, as he stepped away. "I'll want to finish that game later. Save it for me?"

"I have another chess set I can use," Jericho nodded. Robin gave one more look of intense love at Ambrosia before heading out. Jericho watched him leave, and Ambrosia pressed herself against her husband's form. He hugged her back and nuzzled her.  _The next two weeks were going to be rough._


	13. Chapter 13

The prediction was all too true. Ambrosia was sick several times nearly every day. Robin was busy leading his group as always, overlooking the Tower defenses at each new base, and monitoring the city. Elvey enjoyed the ability to assist with the break-ins, but he was very worried about the one he inhabited. _Robin was forcing himself to stay away from Ambrosia._  He was afraid that he would lose focus in his duties, but it was only making it worse. There were times at night that he would wake up and fight himself on wanting to see her. He was addicted to the nectar she gave him in her kisses, and his body was demanding it. In the end, he would reach for the strand of bundled hair he kept to hold it close just for her scent to calm him. By the end of the second week, he was nearing his breaking point.

Beast Boy received a dire message from Ambrosia, and he snuck into Robin's room as a fly. He found Robin in a fetal position on his bed and in a world of pain.

"Dude, go see her!" Beast Boy scowled at him, as he reverted to human form.

"I can't!" Robin winced. "I just can't do that to her! The gala is coming up. I'll see her then."

"Dude..." he grimaced. He had woken up to the feeling that something was very wrong. Jericho knew that Robin was suffering, and Ambrosia had to let Beast Boy know. "If you see her now, she will understand. She was the one that had me check on you, anyways!"

"She was?!" Robin asked now with shock.

"I wouldn't normally do this, but it's for your own good! Elvey, if you're in there, take this dummy to see Ambrosia! We really need him focused in the next couple of days! If she comes here to set up the castle for guests, he can't be all loopy and stupid around her!" he said with his arms crossed. Now Robin hissed, and his mind quickly turned over control to Elvey.

" _I owe you big time!_ " Robin grinned. " _I've been waiting for someone to give me a reason to do something! An hour or two should be enough. It's at night and everyone's sleeping, so it's fine._ "

"I'll scapegoat, if needed," Beast Boy grinned back. He got a pat on the head, and a green moon crystal was fished out of the bag at his hip. Robin was gone after that, and he had to teleport from the small castle to Ireland. When he got there, he moved straight to the bedroom.

"I expected you to be scarce. Not invisible," Jericho mused.

" _I know. Blame the leader of the Titans. Where is she?_ " Robin asked.

"She's taking a bath," he shrugged. That made Robin's head spin, as Elvey gave back control.

"I...shouldn't be here..." Robin winced. Jericho sighed and pushed his friend into the bathroom.

"Be glad I like you and trust you! Go help her bathe! You need it, too!" he growled. Robin practically stumbled in, and he paused at the sight of her kneeling before him to be eye level.

"Why do you let yourself suffer so?" she frowned. He had no answer for her. He wanted to back away. As he was about to speak, her hand came up to lightly caress his cheek. He shivered and sat up with a sharp, painful gasp at the scent of her skin. The urge to try and resist her was there.

"I didn't want to...see you until the gala...to make it more...worthwhile..." he panted.

"You do not like seeing me?" she frowned.

"No! It's not that at all! I..."

"Hush, Robin. Hush," she smiled, and he whimpered at the feel of her hands moving up his chest. "How is Starfire doing? She is well?"

"Yeah. She's...doing..." he lost his train of thought at the scent of her hair and her breath. He kissed her deeply with a harsh moan. Honey flooded his mouth, and he was forced to swallow down the healing nectar he had become so addicted to. She drew herself back to lightly nuzzle under his chin.

"You have an outfit for the gala?" she asked with a soft whisper.

"I was...just...going to wear...this..." he muttered and crashed his mouth down on hers to drink in more of her sweetness. He couldn't deny himself of her any longer. He was away from her for too long, and his body was done with the punishment. When the sound of clothing being removed and bath water splashing around was heard, Jericho mused softly to himself, as he played with a few chess pieces. He waited a few more minutes before sighing.

"Robin, you're an idiot," Jericho muttered to himself a bit loudly. "Beast Boy will likely be one of the few that can resist her, but that's because he freed her from her curse. That and he simply wants to protect her. You are going to kill yourself if you can't see her at least every other day. Yes, you're busy, but that's why you  _make_  the time to come and see her. You don't force yourself away from someone you love! Such an amateur at this, I swear! I'm rather glad that Beast Boy was able to have Elvey bring you here. Any longer and you would have gone into shock. Face it. Your body craves my wife. It craves the nectar my wife can give you. She's your new drug! Wonder how your teammates would have loved  _that_  particular issue to be explained out. Probably would have dragged you here on a stretcher."

"I can hear you!" Robin scowled from the bathroom.

"Really? I thought you'd have soap in your ears by now," he grinned. "Oh. Do you even know how to dance? Or do you need me to teach you?"

"Elvey will help with that," Robin said, as he walked out with Ambrosia. They only had on silver bathrobes for now, and he placed her in his lap on the bed. "Sorry I didn't come by as much as I should have. I just...I was trying to wait for the gala!"

"Well, you failed in that department. Miserably," Jericho chuckled.

"Quiet!" Robin snapped at him, and Jericho laughed.

"I missed you, Robin," Ambrosia sighed.

"You did?" he frowned at her.

"Yes. You said you would be scarce. But...I was expecting to see you maybe once or twice a week. I felt lonely..." she trembled. He hugged her tight and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to do what was best for you. I'm...just really glad you didn't take away that strand of your hair. It helped me out. A lot," he muttered. He was also staying away, because he knew that Elvey's intense jealousy would have gotten in the way of his leadership. Elvey had understood that and made no move to intervene, despite how badly Robin was secretly suffering behind the backs of his teammates. He couldn't let them know his weakness. It was only at night, behind closed doors, that the pain of his true suffering came out.

"Then I'm glad, too," she nodded. He kissed her gently and pressed his forehead against hers. He had no idea how badly he was suffering without her. _Elvey was the same way with Esmiralda. It was the same exact anguish and torture that he was going through without her._  He knew there would be no way that he would be able to rest if she was torn from him now. He'd have to be killed, or he'd be searching the ends of the earth for her. With the way his body needed her, Jericho was right.  _She is my drug, and I am completely addicted to her._

"Robin, put my wife down and come finish up this chess game I've been holding onto for two weeks. It's collecting dust!" Jericho growled. He was clearly not pleased about having to share his wife. That was when he realized that the anger from Tintagel was starting to harbor in him.  _Everything would come out at the gala._   _There was no other way to avoid it._ Ambrosia was acting just like her mother did long ago. She loved them both, but she didn't know how to fully express it right now. Elvey and Tintagel were two halves of a whole, Esmiralda was their glue, and Ambrosia was the proof of it.

"So, what does your dress look like?" Robin asked her and set her aside.

"I'm not saying anything," she giggled. "It's a surprise."

"Oh?" he smiled.

"I'm surprised that your mask isn't sopping wet," Jericho grinned.

"Shut it!" he smirked. "I'm surprised you don't have side burns."

"Eh...no!" Jericho grimaced. "I think not! My hair looks like them, but it's not them!"

Ambrosia smiled softly and sighed. She moved into the bathroom to examine her body from under the robe. Her belly was finally starting to show her pregnancy. It was slight right now, but the bump of a growing womb was present. She took a deep breath and ran her hands over her growing baby happily.  _I'm giving Aelfric another chance at life as my son._  She was still in shock that he was her half-brother.  _No one could tell me. They wanted my crown to become soul-mated to keep me safe._ Then she blinked, as she felt something odd. When the feeling returned, her jaw dropped. Now she pressed a hand to her mouth, got up, and ran to Jericho's side. He looked at her with concern, but she pressed his hand to her belly. At first he frowned. Then his jaw dropped at the little kick he was given.

"Did you feel him?!" she asked with excitement.

"My son just kicked me?!" Jericho blinked and pressed a bit more for another kick. He stood up, pulled her close, and kissed her passionately. "Robin! My son is moving!"

"May I?" Robin smiled. She nodded and he pressed a hand to her belly. At the movement he felt from the kick, he found himself grinning. " _Once again, the shock of fatherhood is amazing to me._ "

"You know that nothing is going to harm her at the gala, right?" Jericho growled.

" _Orin will be dead, if he tries anything,_ " Robin nodded. "When I go back to the Tower, I'll tell Beast Boy of the movement. That will make him even more protective."

"Good. Oh? My love? You already told him, didn't you?" Jericho grinned.

"I did," she beamed. "Um...I think he's on his way here. And he left in a rush..."

"Ah..." Robin blinked. He got up, ran into the bathroom, dressed quickly, and had Elvey use a small moon crystal to restore his appearance. He couldn't let the others know the real reason as to why he was there. Ambrosia now moved to dress in a gown of silver and sat in the bed. A knock on the door was heard, and Beast Boy was let in. Jericho grinned and pointed to Ambrosia on the bed.

"Oh! I felt a kick!" Beast Boy grinned, as he pressed his hand to her belly. She blushed, and they looked over, as Cyborg whistled at the room.

"BB! Why'd you run in here? Ah...oh! Am I not supposed to be here?" Cyborg frowned.

"It's all right. Aelfric is moving in her belly now. If you want to feel the movement, go right ahead," Jericho chuckled. "Hello, Starfire. Raven."

"The baby is moving?!" Starfire gasped with delight. "Um...oh! Robin?"

"Just playing some chess. I've been working a lot. Jericho needed to talk to me, too. It's fine," Robin smiled warmly at her. Now they moved to feel the little movements and gossiped to her about what was going on with the Towers and the defenses. At the mention of a dress for the gala, Starfire and Raven were now determined to pry it out of her.

"Is it pink?" Raven grinned.

"No," Ambrosia giggled.

"Oh! Blue?" Starfire asked.

"I am not saying!" she giggled again. "It will be seen at the gala."

"I'm not sure I know how to dance," Raven sighed.

"Dancing is easy!" Ambrosia smiled. Very softly she started to sing and let her body sway gently to the music she made. The sound she made was a cross between a croon and a purr in a soft soprano tone. Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg found themselves staring at her, and Jericho cleared his throat loudly to get their attention. That made her stop dancing, and she blushed as the others giggled.

"My wife. No eyes on her! At least, not while I can see you all," Jericho grumbled.

"Ah, right," Cyborg nodded with a grin. "My bad!"

"Sure, sure, dude," Beast Boy chuckled. Robin just nodded and sighed. He glanced at his communicator, as it went off. He looked at it and frowned.

"Break-in. We need to go," Robin said. "Um...Ambrosia? If I don't see you in the next couple of days, I'll see you at the gala. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. "It was good to see you again!"

"It was good to see you, too! All right, Titans! Let's go!" Robin said with a smile on his face.

"He seems less stressed," Cyborg mused.

"I smacked him around with a game of chess," Jericho grinned.

"And we're not done with it!" Robin said loudly.

"Fine! I'll save it!" Jericho said, as he rolled his eyes. When the door was closed, and it was him and Ambrosia, he moved to her side to pull her close.

"Yes, husband?" she smiled. He kissed her gently and rubbed her belly.

"Dance with me?" he smiled back. She let him pull her into a soft swing, and he asked, "So, what dress do you plan to wear, eh? Surely, you'll let your husband know?"

"I'm not sure. It does come in two parts. You did mention that many of the Fae have been adapting to many human styles of clothing now. I think I may need to let you see it to help me with the design. Maybe a new outfit. Think you can?" she asked with a nibble to his lower lip. He growled and scooped her up to take her to the bed. That effectively knocked out anything she said about the dress and that was what she wanted. The dress was her surprise to her husband.  _And to Robin._

Three hours had passed when the Titans returned to the Tower after dealing with the break-in. Robin's communicator went off to find Jericho's image there.

"Hey. I'm sending out the invitations now. Any charged moon crystals out there will receive it. Ambrosia is getting ready to create a large ballroom here. We'd go with the smaller castle, but, well, with her family lineage and such, this one would be better as a first time gala in centuries. I'd like to try and keep the other castle as Titan friendly as possible, you know?" he chuckled.

"True. Oh! I'll get started on that treaty," Robin said.

"No. We'll build the treaty paper into the wall, itself. When it's made, you can form it there. But, do have some molten gold available as ink. That is the traditional ink for such things," Jericho mused. "Think you have enough left?"

"It's possible. I'll have to ask Cyborg. We'll get it, though. Maybe Aqualad knows of a sunken treasure we can use. I'll ask him, if we don't have enough gold."

"Good. If that's the case, go to Cyborg first. Get the ink. Then come over here to see how Ambrosia can make a ballroom worthy of a gala," Jericho grinned. Robin nodded, and the connection cut off. He sighed and leaned back on the couch. He couldn't believe how much he loved Ambrosia.  _Now I'm addicted to the honey she gives others to heal with. She's my drug, and I wouldn't want to quit it for the world. I only tried to for two weeks, and it nearly killed me!_  Then he thought.  _Maybe what happened wasn't supposed to be at the gala, itself, but when the room was made?_  He knew that there would be others there that would easily intervene. However, it was just those that knew what had to happen that needed to witness it.  _Was that enough for a proper audience?_

"Robin?" Raven asked, as she walked over.

"Ambrosia is going to make a ballroom at the Ireland castle. I also have the sneaky suspicion that it's after the room is designed and made when everything is going to happen. If others start showing up, they could interfere and cause problems. What do you think?" he asked.

"You could be onto something. The last thing we would need is a bunch of disorderly Fae trying to wreck something that needs to happen," she thought. Robin's communicator went off, and it was Jericho again. He was trembling with rage now.

"What is it, Jericho?!" Robin asked.

"She's right. You're right. I'm not sending out the invitations yet. Not until the ballroom is complete. I don't want to think that Orin could try to crash something! I thought about it, and it pissed me off! Don't worry about the gold right now. Just get everyone here! Quickly!" he growled. "The sooner we get this in motion, the harder it will be for anything to stop it!"

"All right," Robin nodded. Raven blinked and remembered how he could overhear things through moon crystals. She had several of them on her from practicing various odd spells. Now he got up, pocketed the communicator, and went to the wall intercom to say, "Titans! We need to get to the Ireland castle! Quickly! If you want to see how a ballroom is made, we need to leave now!"

"Always in the middle of a shower!" Beast Boy scowled. Then he heard where they were going and he squealed. "I forgive you, Robin! Drying off now!"

"Ballroom? Hmm. Sounds cool!" Cyborg grinned. "Booyah! I'm sure it could use some good speakers, sound system, all around digital music player...hmm...what else? Ah, well, I'll get some ideas when I get there! Here I come!"

"A ballroom! Raven, what is a ballroom? Is it a room for round spheres?" Starfire blinked.

"Ah...not really. Think of it as a room to dance in and it's really pretty, too," Raven chuckled. Robin was waiting for them patiently when they all approached.

"I sent a message to the others. I want as many Titans in this room as possible when it's made. We don't know how many will be showing up to the gala. The larger the room, the better," Robin said. "Ready for the jump to Ireland?"

"Let's go!" Starfire giggled.

"Ah, my petite Ambrosia! I will be seeing you again," Beast Boy purred out. "Um...ah. Yeah. Let's go! Seriously. Robin...stop looking at me like that!"

"Uh huh," Robin frowned. "Remember, Beast Boy. Elvey is her father, too. He's in my head. He's watching you now. Good job."

"Gah!" Beast Boy cringed. Cyborg started to chuckle. Starfire shrugged, and Raven held back a laugh. Robin sighed irritably, as Elvey came out to transport them all to Ireland. When they got there, Jericho was eyeballing Beast Boy now. The green Titan paled and waved.

"Behave, Beast Boy. This is your only warning," Jericho mused.

"I just realized that your voice is...better?" Raven asked. "I know Ambrosia said it was healed before, but is your voice fully healed now?"

"Yes. It's fully healed. Been fully healed for the past two weeks. Anyways, Ambrosia is waiting for us. The other Titans are gathering, and I don't want her to be alone around them for too long. Jinx is all right, since she was a bridesmaid of sorts. It's just the way I am," Jericho sighed. He didn't want to remind them that it was her second month.  _She could easily start seeing any male around her as a potential comforting candidate._  He wanted to avoid that completely. Robin nodded, and they all moved into the castle.

A new set of stairs led downwards, and they found themselves under the castle. Solid marble pillars set with moon crystals were here to help hold up the castle. It was also braced up in other ways, but this was to fool anyone that thought that bringing down the pillars would force it to collapse. The only reason the castle still stood was because of Jericho and Ambrosia. It was bound to their lives. If either of them died, the castle would cave in on itself. When Aelfric is born, the life of the castle would extend to him. It was why the castle survived for so long.

When Robin saw Ambrosia, he was speechless. She was wearing a soft blue, silk pants and shirt outfit with dainty shoes. It looked so modern that he almost forgot who she was. If it wasn't for the crown, eyes, hair, and ears, he wouldn't have realized it was her. She blushed slightly, and Jericho kissed her forehead. She seemed a bit relieved to see him, and he squeezed her.

"Moon crystal?" Ambrosia asked Robin. He handed her three of them. She nodded and absorbed them all to empty their charges. The empty crystals were given back, and she took a deep breath. Now she trembled and jumped into the air to hover there, as her eyes flickered with power. She focused and shouted, as a wave of blue rolled from her and over the ground. The Titans around them were in shock at how the floor simply transformed underneath them. White marble streaked with gold and flecked with silver formed with perfect symphony. Nuggets of gold seemed to form and sprout out of the marble columns into a wave of elegantly carved spiral designs all the way up them and sank into the ceiling.

She landed as one charge left her, and she jumped into the air again to hover and shout. Another wave of power flew from her, and the walls shifted to match the floor. Miniature marble columns that appeared to be chiseled and hand carved molded out and sprouted up. The ceiling now took on a prismatic effect with various gemstones to decorate the top of it to give an added luminescence of light. Several gemstones seemed to drop only to hang by thin tendrils of gold as a form of decoration.

Landing on her feet again from the second charge leaving her, she jumped to shout for one last time. This time, furniture sprouted up from the floor in the forms of movable chairs constructed of marble. Benches lined the walls. Tables appeared soon after made of the same marble. A stage area was set up for a band, and a dance area was now in the center of the floor. The outer area of the floor shifted smoothly to rise up for others to sit and peer down at the dancers in the middle of the room. When it was done, she landed and gasped. Jericho caught her and kissed her softly at a job well done. _The room was massive and everyone fit with plenty of room to spare._  He was greatly impressed, and she had been training herself hard to keep up with mental stress.

"What do you all think?" Jericho grinned. They were all speechless.

"Uh...what kind of music will you be playing?" Cyborg asked now to break the silence.

"I've been studying what other Fae listen to. There will be a mix of various things. We will need someone to play music for us when instruments are not needed," Jericho chuckled.

"I'm your guy!" Cyborg grinned.

"Good. If any of you know how to play an instrument, now is the time to practice. I would suggest we hold a test gala. Right here. Tonight. Everyone wear your best attire. If it goes as well as we like, then the real one will be held in two days. Understood?" Jericho asked.

"All Titans are welcome to a party!" Robin grinned. That got cheers and whistles all over. More furniture would be constructed and brought in. Lights would be set up, and music equipment would be set all over the room. The test gala would show what improvements would need to be made. Ambrosia beamed at everything that was going to happen.

"Robin, I want the treaty to go here," Jericho said, as he pointed to a flat slate on the wall by the stairway entrance. "We'll carve in the words and use the gold to fill it in."

"Okay. Cyborg! How much gold do we have left?" Robin asked.

"Not much. Why?" he asked, as he walked over. Aqualad was called over next, and they were talked to at length of what was needed.

"A large treaty with gold lettering. Okay. I might be able to dig up some old gold coins that aren't worth too much. Sunken treasure is very rare, but I think I may have something suitable. I'll see what I have in my private stash," Aqualad nodded. "Can we do this tomorrow?"

"Sure. I just wanted to let you both know what we need to do," Robin said.

"Gotcha!" Cyborg grinned. "Booyah! This place is gonna rock!"

"Just don't tear it down!" Jericho chuckled. He kept an arm around Ambrosia's waist the whole time, and she whispered to him. He looked at her oddly and frowned. "No. I can't risk you being alone right now. I risked it when I had to bring them here. I just...can't right now."

"Okay," she smiled. He knew it was because of what was going to happen.  _Tintagel was getting to that point of impatience. He knew Elvey was itching to have Esmiralda come out, too. When she did, it was going to be a war zone between them._ Then he thought and looked at the northern wall. He noticed it was bare, and he frowned.

"Why is the wall like that?" he asked.

"In case you wanted to do something," she chuckled. That made him grin, and he focused. His crown flared out, and the wall seemed to melt away into a magnificent arch. It led right to the outside where the largest garden was. Robin tensed.  _It was the same area that Elvey confronted Esmiralda to see if she loved him or not. All of it was going to happen soon. All over again._

Starfire was busy hovering around and examining all of the suspended gems. She was too preoccupied to notice Robin's face, as he looked at Ambrosia in Jericho's arms.  _The jealousy was starting again._  He growled to himself and forced himself to keep in check.  _Soon, it would be okay for it to come out. Not right now. I can't risk it. It would make many intervene and that couldn't happen._

" _Let's get you dressed, shall we?_ " Jericho chuckled. Tintagel was clearly present. He could taste the jealousy that came from Elvey now, and he smirked. A kiss was pressed to her mouth to irk his old friend, and he led her out of the room. It did not go unnoticed by Robin.

"Robin! Isn't this exciting?!" Starfire giggled, as she landed by him.

"Yeah. I'm thrilled," he frowned and glared at the floor with his hands in fists.

"Robin?" she frowned now and looked at him. He blinked hard and sighed, as he rubbed his forehead. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the garden.

"Starfire, do you remember what I told you about? With Elvey doing painful things with Ambrosia?" Robin asked carefully now.

"Yes. Oh! Is it going to happen?!" she gasped.

"Soon. It will. What you just saw was Elvey getting mad. He's not mad at you. It's something that he has to suppress until the right time. Just think of it as a play, but a real play that happened in the past. Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda will be acting out memories. Ambrosia will be playing the part of Esmiralda. Jericho, is, of course, Tintagel. I will be playing out Elvey. If this doesn't happen, then Sinlus and the Unseelie Court will win. I love you, Starfire. I am going to marry you. Please, don't be hurt by what you are going to see. If you do get hurt, then...well...I'm sorry if it hurt you."

"Oh. Robin, I trust you. If this is all from memories coming to life, then...well...I am sure all memories are sad. I have been told to trust in you. I know you love me. You are my suitor! Why would you not love me?" she smiled. He nodded with a soft smile.

"Yeah. I am. Do you have a pretty dress to wear?" he chuckled.

"No. I was going to wear this. Oh! I can wear the bridesmaid dress! I shall go put it on now!" she giggled. He kissed her and let her fly off with excitement. Then he sighed inwardly. He already knew now.  _I love Starfire, but my heart belongs to Ambrosia._  He wanted to kick himself hard.  _Elvey and his memories were potent. I'm only human!_   _Now this happened. I can't tell anyone. Not Beast Boy. Not Raven. No one could know this. I'm addicted to Ambrosia's nectar, for crying out loud!_

_How many times did I lay there awake in bed wondering why Beast Boy got it into his head to go out and look for fairies only to find one? The most beautiful creature I've ever seen in my life? Even when she was dirty, I saw how beautiful she was._ He knew he had fallen for her the moment he saw her, he just didn't realize it at the time.  _Not until now_ , as he thought back.  _Humans became enthralled in the lives of the Fae._ He simply became enthralled, and now he was thoroughly entangled.

"It's almost show time," he muttered to himself. "I'd better get cleaned up."

He was angry at himself and enraged at the jealous thoughts running through his head. They were starting to become his thoughts.  _Elvey was starting to engulf me._  The time was fast approaching, and he had to keep his cool. He took several deep breaths before heading back into the ballroom from the new stairway to it. The path he walked on led directly to the outdoor garden.  _Where Elvey and Esmiralda shared their first kiss._  He cringed and tensed again. He looked over at a particular set of bushes not far off, and he realized that it was there that Jericho and Ambrosia had lain right after their wedding ceremony to make Aelfric. He growled at himself and shivered for control.  _I'll be able to dance with her._ When he does, that is when Esmiralda needed to come out.  _She_ had  _to come out for me now!_ He knew exactly how to do it. Another deep breath was taken, and he moved into the ballroom.

"Hey, Robin! Um, dude? Are you feeling okay?" Beast Boy frowned.

"No. It's Elvey. He knows that it's...going to happen soon," Robin cringed.

"Ouch. Ah, okay. Where's Starfire?" he asked.

"She's changing into something else. I don't know if I'll be able to dance with her."

"Ooh. Eh...let me talk to Raven! Maybe she has an idea!" Beast Boy said, and he scampered off in a rat form. Five minutes passed by slowly when she finally came over to sit with him.

"I'll handle Star. You get the memory to work. Don't worry. I've got your back," Raven promised. Robin sighed and put a hand on her shoulder to show how much he appreciated it.

"I talked to her a moment ago. I just...Elvey's so...jealous right now! Argh!" Robin growled. "I'm trying to contain it, but it's just...I won't be right until this over. Where is Ambrosia?"

"I don't know. She disappeared with Jericho," Raven frowned. That made Robin snarl, and he stood up. He grabbed a moon crystal to gaze into it. It was a mildly charged one to keep from getting found out, but Jericho felt his presence, anyways.

"Soon, Robin. Thirty minutes. Stay calm until then," Jericho muttered. Then the moon crystal popped and shattered in Robin's hand. He stared at his hand in shock, as the crystal pieces became drops of dew and dried out. He cringed, and Raven was gaping.

"He detected you?!" Raven gaped.

"He wasn't only known as the Silent Death. He was also known as the Mage Bane, too," Robin growled. Now Raven's jaw dropped with shock.  _Jericho could kill me easily._ She shivered, and Robin hugged her to show that everything was fine. "You are an ally, Raven. We need you alive, regardless of anything else. Just remember that. You'll be safe. He trusts you with his life and with Ambrosia's life."

"Sure..." she trembled. She didn't let just anyone touch her like this. Robin was in her head before, so he knew what she was like. He knew how to help keep her focused.

"I have under thirty minutes to wait. I need to keep myself calm," Robin said and backed away from her. "Okay. I can do this."

"Yeah. You can," she nodded. "There's Starfire. I'll go talk to her."

"Good," Robin nodded. When Starfire was heading over to them in the fluffy, pink gown, Raven stopped her and whispered. Starfire seemed to nod with understanding and moved off with Raven. Robin grimaced and muttered out, "I owe you one, too, Raven. You and Beast Boy."

Other Titans started to appear and settle in various chairs around the room. Robin stayed in the back of the room close to where the shadows hit him the most to stay unseen. He waited silently, as Cyborg started to test the speakers, and the dancing started as the music filtered around. Then the room went quiet when Jericho appeared with Ambrosia. Now Robin felt out of place. Jericho was wearing a ruffled tux of old Fae style. It was his outfit, but not his outfit. It seemed nobler to gaze at. His deep purple vest shone out against the white cream of his tunic. His boots were the same fabric as his vest, and his legs were covered in black silk. Real gold bracers replaced the stitched in fabric over his wrists and calves. Moon crystals and various gems sparkled from the jewelry he wore on his person. His crown even shimmered with a form of joy at the attention he got from the others

Ambrosia was on his arm in a gown of silvery-blue cream. It gave a deep, plunging neckline that was almost daring if gazed at for too long. Dainty slippers graced her feet, as she noiselessly walked with her husband. A silver shawl draped over her arms, and, when she stretched them out, it was like a set of graceful wings that appeared. Her own crown was shimmering in tune with Jericho's. She was simply lovely as the jewelry and moon crystals she wore sparkled off her body. They were the perfect couple on the floor, and they stole the entire floor when he moved with her. Robin ached and now he thought. As Jericho and her started to dance, he moved outside. It was time to change clothes.

He pulled out a dark red moon crystal and whispered to it. His uniform became a set of black silk pants with a soft, green tunic. A jeweled, yellow 'R' sat on his breast, and a cloak of gold lined his shoulders. Heavy, green boots protected his feet, but they were light enough for him to wear. He had on several moon crystal rings and a gold pendant necklace with a single deep blue moon crystal in it. His hair was in the same style that he wore it to show it was him. Of course, his mask stayed the same, but it looked slightly narrower in design. Almost sleeker to go with the old outfit. All of it, save his hair, the cloak, the insignia on his breast, and the mask, was what Elvey wore in the past. He would have marveled that he truly was more like Elvey than he thought, but his mind wasn't set on that. He was ready to make his move when it was time. He walked back to his place in the shadows to watch and wait.

When everyone applauded at the end of the dance, Jericho moved Ambrosia to a special seating area over the dance floor.  _Now was the time for me to approach._  Raven saw him appear and blinked at his attire. Starfire gasped happily, but Raven shook her head.

"The memory play is going to start. We can do nothing. We must watch and bear witness. And, to ensure nothing happens, I must cast a warding spell over the dance floor," Raven frowned.

"Oh," Starfire frowned. Raven whispered the ancient spell, and the empty floor would only allow Robin, Jericho, and Ambrosia to dance on it now until they left it, or until the spell was lifted. Jericho noticed this and tensed, but he knew it was time. Tintagel took over neatly without missing a beat, as Robin approached them with a purpose.

" _Hi. Mind if I ask for a dance?_ " Robin smiled. Ambrosia blinked at his attire.  _Do I know this?_   _Was this worn before?_  She wasn't sure. She looked at her husband, and he looked grim.

" _Remember, Elvey. She's pregnant with my child. A dance I will spare, but just this once. Bring her right back to me when you are done,_ " Jericho muttered.

" _Of course, I will,_ " Robin nodded. Ambrosia blinked again, but she stood up and accepted Robin's hand. Everyone whistled on seeing Robin, but he heard none of it. His focus was completely on Ambrosia. Elvey's memory was now going to become a reality, and Tintagel's was, too. " _Will you lead? Or shall I lead? I'll let you decide._ "

"Oh! Um...you can. I suppose?" she shrugged. He pulled her close carefully and started to dance with her, and he kept her hand grasped securely in his. Jericho watched carefully and critically from where he sat, and he even leaned forward a bit to ensure that nothing was going to happen with his wife.

" _Having fun?_ " Robin chuckled, as he expertly spun her.

"Oh, yes! Very much so!" she giggled. He twirled her around him now and pulled her back.

" _Wake up for me, Essi,_ " he whispered in her ear.

"What?!" she blinked, and he spun her again to bring her to his chest with her back pressed against him. He whispered the old name again. Very slowly, she blinked. Then she turned and started to twirl in rhythm with him. His hand never left her form, as they danced close on the floor. His hands moved to slightly roam over her sides and curves as he danced with her now. He took in the scent of her skin along her throat when he pulled her close to only spin her away again. He dipped her to feel the weight of her body in his arms, lightly ground his hips into hers, breathed over her mouth, and let her spin away from him again. No one caught this from how fast they danced with each other. The desire was building between them as jealousy turned to lust. He was making sure to bring out the emotions within her in full.  _This dance proved it._ This was his proof to show how much he loved her. He spun her again, aware of the audience, and he had to show that he was simply dancing with her now. The entire effect of their dance was beautiful and sensational.

" _So, you woke her up. Now, we must let the show continue,_ " Jericho smirked and lightly closed his eyes, as though appearing bored. Ambrosia's mind was now Esmiralda's. Robin and her twirled and spun each other effortlessly in a full circle before coming to a stop to bow and curtsy.

" _You dance well,_ " Robin chuckled.

" _I know,_ " Ambrosia said softly.

"That's not Ambrosia," Raven mused. Starfire blinked now, but she was kept calm.

" _I'm sure your husband won't mind a walk in the garden?_ " Robin whispered to her.

" _I'm sure he will mind. His orders were to go right back to him, were they not?_ " she frowned.

" _His eyes are closed! He sees nothing! Come. He'll come find us when he needs us,_ " Robin said. Before she could say another word, he was leading her out of the ballroom. Raven's dancing spell died off, and the others were free to dance on the floor. When Starfire went to look for Robin, he had already cloaked himself and Ambrosia to speed away undetected. _The memory had to continue._

" _I should go back to Tintagel,_ " Ambrosia frowned.

" _He won't miss you. Sit with me,_ " Robin said, as he sat on a bench in the large garden, but she remained standing in front of him with a frown. At that, he sighed and said, " _I'm going to confess something to you. I know you've been married to my brother-in-arms for a month now. Pregnant with his child, no less. However...I have feelings for you, Esmiralda. And I know you do for me, too. We danced so beautifully together out there! Surely it will not be our last dance?_ "

" _Elvey! Such a thing is not right to speak about!_ " she shivered and stood in front of him. " _I cannot give my heart to another! Even to share it! It is not right! It cannot be done!_ "

" _Can it?_ " Robin asked and stood up now. " _How do you know? Has it been tried? Has it been proven? Granted, they say that such a thing is wrong, but how do they know?_ "

" _I'm sure something like this happened before,_ " she frowned.

" _But, it has never been proven. Only speculated,_ " he muttered and pulled her close. " _Surely, you think the same way? Admit it, Esmiralda! You love me, too!_ "

" _I...no! I cannot!_ " she growled and pulled free of him to turn her back to him.

" _Tintagel and I are brothers that are equals in strength and magic. You need a strong supporter in your second month. Considering that it's already started. Hasn't it?_ " he whispered, and she gasped. He moved up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and placed a hand over her belly. She cringed at the emotions that ran through her now. He turned her to face him in his arms and pleaded, " _Let me help support you! We can be together this way, and he can't say anything! Love me as you love him! Trust me as you trust him! I do love you so!_ "

" _Elvey..._ " she fretted. She was starting to worry about her husband. Only this time the worry was turning into Jericho. Esmiralda was neatly merging the memory from the past with the craving of the present. Elvey knew this and got Robin prepared.  _Now it was time for the moment of truth._

"Say you love me, Ambrosia. As I love you," he whispered. "Please..."

"I...love you, Robin..." she whispered, as she gave in, and he kissed her deeply.  _The cycle had now started. But, the memory wasn't over._ Robin suddenly pulled Ambrosia back, as Jericho shattered the cloaking spell with his fury on finding them alone. He heard everything. As much as he approved as himself, Tintagel was furious and had to act out his vengeance. Beast Boy had watched Jericho suddenly storm out of the ballroom, and he knew that others caught this, too. Raven was notified, and they quickly moved to help them keep the others back.

" _You knave! You ignorant bastard! You would dare to steal my wife from me?!_ " Jericho snarled out. Ambrosia gasped, and Robin set her down carefully on a bench to keep her safe.

" _Tintagel, you heard her words! She loves me now as much as you!_ " Robin growled and turned to face him. The rage and jealousy between them both was incredibly thick.

" _Swine!_ " Jericho hissed and lunged at him. Robin neatly parried it and dodged him. He tried to swing an upper-cut into his chest, and Jericho dodged that to retaliate with round-house kick. It was blocked and another punch was thrown by Robin to be dodged again.

" _We can't even attack each other! Are you mad?!_ " Robin scowled at him.

" _Stop it...!_ " Ambrosia cringed. Already a crowd of Titans were gathering, and Raven put a shield up around them to keep the others back.  _This could not be interrupted._  Jinx was warned beforehand about this and added her own shield. Herald added his shield next. Only High Warlocks could protect what was happening, and it needed to happen.

"Robin?!" Starfire gasped.

"Star, this has to happen. It's memories they have to play out to help against Sinlus, okay?" Beast Boy frowned. "I don't like it any more than you, but this is necessary."

"Are you sure?!" Cyborg muttered.

"Yeah. And I'll stop you if you try to stop them," Beast Boy glowered. Cyborg blinked and realized that Beast Boy was serious. His stance and the glare in his eyes proved it. Now that made everyone pause, and they were forced to watch the drama unfold.

" _I'll kill you!_ " Jericho howled, as the ground ripped apart under Robin. A quick dodge was all he had to do to get away. Ambrosia finally stood up and screamed. Roots shot up from the ground to hold up and constrict the men she loved. At first they didn't realize who attacked them. Then they saw her.

" _Enough! Both of you!_ " Ambrosia said. The hurt in her eyes made them both wince. " _Yes, I love him as much as I love you, my husband! He can help me in my second month now! I know that Elvey did not respond to you as you would have liked with our dance, but his jealousy is great! You both are brothers! If you cannot work this out reasonably then I will find a way to make it work! You will not severe your trust, nor harm each other over me! Is that clear?!_ "

" _My wife..._ " Jericho cringed.

" _Esmiralda...I...you're right. I'm sorry, my brother. I let jealousy make my decisions for me. From now on, I will speak this out with you,_ " Robin sighed.

" _A woman's love and a woman's temper has made us humble. Very well. We'll work something out. Darling, can you please release us? The roots are bound to your life, and I don't want to hurt you or our child. Please? I promise I will not harm my brother,_ " Jericho vowed.

" _And I will not harm him or you,_ " Robin vowed. She nodded, and the roots dropped them to retreat into the ground. The garden was healed back to how it was right after. _The memory was finished. The cycle was able to start again._

"Raven! It's me! Lift the barriers! It's done!" Jericho grimaced. Raven nodded to Jinx and Herald to release the powerful barrier spell. Robin sunk to his knees with a small smile on his lips.  _Ambrosia admitted to loving me back._   _I got her to say my name. Now I have to marry Starfire. Likely near the end of the month or after Ambrosia gave birth._ Jericho moved to Ambrosia and kissed her deeply, as he hugged her close.

"Titans..." Robin sighed and stood up to face them all. "what you all just saw was Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda at the pinnacle point of their lives. The memory you all just witnessed was when they all agreed to let a very precious cycle start to unfold in secret. Ambrosia is the result of their love for each other. Sinlus...he knew this, and he killed them all for it. Ambrosia can be his bane or his life. She is his bane as of now! We need to protect her, since she is the key for destroying the power of the Unseelie Court and keeping them back. When it's all over, we'll decide what to do then. But, until that time happens, we need to tighten our guard around her."

"Robin, will you be spending time with her?" Raven asked carefully.

"I might. Elvey will insist on it. As much as I need to lead you guys, there are still more memories that need to play out. I...don't know what to make of it, yet. Star, if it looks like I'm giving Ambrosia more attention than you, then I'm sorry. I don't want it to be that way..."

"Robin, I know. This is to help destroy Sinlus. It is fine," she nodded. "But...I am curious."

"About what?" he asked.

"If Elvey and Tintagel had to be with Esmiralda to make Ambrosia..." she started and paused. He grimaced and shook hard. A hissing breath left him, and he fell to his knees again.

"I don't know how to respond to that, because I just don't know for sure," he swallowed.

"He would need to be married to you for it to really happen," Jericho muttered. Starfire gasped, and the other Titans gaped. "Elvey was able to comfort Esmiralda safely. But, when he got married, that was when his ability to make children happened. You could say that Fae are unable to make children until they get married. Likely the easiest way to explain it. But, normally, they can only reproduce with their chosen life mates. Esmiralda was different, because she loved two men equally. She saw both men as her life mates, as they were equal in everything they did. Robin is not Fae, but Elvey's memories may change his body to suit his needs. It's a very dangerous path that he's on."

"Is there a way to remove the memories?" Speedy asked.

" _How dare you suggest such a thing!_ " Robin seethed, as Elvey came out.

"Calm yourself, Elvey," Jericho warned. "Speedy, there is no way now. Robin is too much a part of Elvey and vice versa. If I tried to reverse the memory link, it would kill him."

"So, the only way to 'cure' Robin is to keep going, right?" Cyborg frowned.

"Yes. Maybe, after Sinlus dies, everything will settle down again and become more normal," Jericho nodded. Robin seemed to frown.  _Nothing would be normal for me anymore._ Ambrosia didn't know what to think. She didn't ask for any of this to happen. She wanted to pull herself out of Robin's life, and he wouldn't let her. She didn't want anyone to be hurt over her.

"I never asked for this," Ambrosia frowned and trembled. "Robin was given Elvey's memories and Aelfric's memories to help the Titans be protected against Sinlus and the Unseelie Court! I didn't...I don't want this! I never wanted this!"

"Ambrosia..." Jericho winced and hugged her.

"I feel so...used...!" she gasped and cringed. Robin looked at her with pain in his eyes. Now Starfire saw that Robin did love her. _But was it Elvey? Or was it Robin?_ She didn't know anymore.

" _Daughter, you know this has to happen,_ " Robin said carefully. Starfire blinked and felt a bit calmer now that Elvey was talking. Robin knew Starfire's moods, and Elvey was going to help him mask everything that was going on. He didn't want to show that Robin was a weak link. Robin was actually the most dangerous Titan there, right next to Jericho.

"It doesn't mean that I have to like it," Ambrosia frowned.

" _And you're right. You don't have to like it. But, it has to happen,_ " Robin agreed. He suddenly looked up and tensed at something. He growled out savagely and rose up, his pole out to attack. Beast Boy blinked and shifted into a wolf to snarl.

"Hmm," Jericho thought, as he listened through a moon crystal. "Visitors. They are at the grove by the Tower. They are trying to figure out why the hill is there. They sound like forest rangers. Better let them know that it's Titan territory so they understand. We can call the place Titan's Grove as the new location. Think that will work?"

"Okay," Robin nodded. "Star? Raven? Cyborg? Beast Boy?"

"Robin," Starfire smiled. She saw him relax and seem more like himself. The others nodded and moved quickly to explain the situation.

"As they do that, we have a party to finish," Hot Spot grinned.

"That we do," Jericho nodded. "Let's finish the night off right."

He led them back to the ballroom. Twenty minutes later, Robin led his team back, and they settled in happily. Robin started to dance with Starfire, but his eyes always moved to linger on Ambrosia's face. Starfire noticed this, and she frowned.

"Robin," Starfire said and pulled him to sit on a balcony chair. "I need to ask you something."

"Okay," he smiled, as he sat with her.

"Do you...love Ambrosia more than me?" she whispered.

"No," he said with a shake of his head. "That is impossible. I care about her a great deal. As much as you. That, I won't lie to you about. I have always loved you, Star."

"You may love me...but is your heart mine, too?"

"My heart?"

"Where does your heart go? To whom does it belong? To me? Or to Ambrosia?"

"To you," he smiled.  _An outright lie._  As much as he wanted to kick himself, he couldn't risk Starfire not wanting to marry him. Elvey was a master at hiding the truth and being undetectable.  _Only Esmiralda or Tintagel could detect his lies._   _He fooled both friend and enemy alike this way. He was even able to fool his own son and daughter._  The knowledge stung him.

"Robin!" Starfire beamed and kissed him deeply. "Um...so...when did you want to get married? We should discuss this! And where did you want to get married?"

"Ah..." he blushed, and she giggled. "We'll talk about that later, okay? We're still at a party!"

"Yes. We are," she smiled. He led her back to the dance floor, and Jericho was thinking about everything. Ambrosia suddenly got up to use the bathroom, and he looked at her oddly.

"I'll be right back," she said.

"Ambrosia?" he frowned. "I should go with you."

"I'll be fine, dearest," she smiled warmly. "Less than two minutes."

"All right," he nodded. "If you are not back by then, I will look for you."

"Okay," she agreed. She knew he worried about her now.  _My second month of pregnancy was going to be a rough time for us both._  She moved up the stairs quickly and made her way to the bedroom. She managed to care for her needs and started to make her way back.

"Ambrosia?" a voice called out.

"Hmm?" she turned. Aqualad was standing there with a frown. "I need to get back to Jericho."

"Ah, I know. But, I was wondering if you could answer something for me. I'm trying to figure out exactly how much gold is needed for the treaty," he said.

"Oh? That would be something Robin or Jericho could answer. I would not know offhand," she smiled. She cringed and paused.  _I am starting to worry about Jericho. I need to get back to him._

"You think so?" he chuckled.

"Yes. I...really need to get back to him..." she said with a tight smile and turned to walk away quickly. He followed her, and she leaned into the wall. Her fear for her husband's safety started to take place. Aqualad moved quickly to help her stand, and she looked at him with a slow blink of her fantastic, deep blue eyes. It caught him by surprise at first.

"Are you all right?" he asked. She reached up and her warm, honey-scented hand lightly caressed his cheek. His jaw dropped, and he looked up as Jericho ran at him.

"Get back! Now!" Jericho snarled, as he ripped Ambrosia away from him. "Darling?! I'm here! It's all right now. That's it. Lean into me. Hush. It's okay."

"What...just...?" Aqualad blinked.

"Nothing! Go back to the others!" Jericho warned. The water Titan frowned, but he cleared his throat and nodded. As he walked away, he wondered why she touched his cheek.  _And that scent of honey! How did she possess that?_ And now he wondered why he really liked it. Jericho made sure he was gone, and he kissed her passionately.

"What...happened...?" she frowned, and he rocked her in his embrace.

"Nothing happened, dear. You worried about me, and I came for you. Everything is fine," he whispered. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I just...Aqualad was talking to me...and I...did I touch his cheek?!" she grimaced. He looked away, but hugged her tight to him.

"No one will touch you," he vowed. "No one but me, Beast Boy, or Robin. They are the only ones, other than myself, that is allowed. None other. You have my word. Don't worry."

"Glamour Aqualad! You must! If he talks to others about this..." she faltered. He sent a message to Robin. On the dance floor, Robin suddenly looked up to see Aqualad walking down the stairs. He snarled softly to himself, and Starfire blinked.

"Jericho caught Ambrosia about to go to Aqualad for comfort," Robin frowned.

"Oh, no! What do we do?!" Starfire gasped.

"I have to make him forget something. Tell Raven. I'll be right back, okay?" he said. She nodded and moved right over to her friend to whisper. He took a deep breath and walked over to where Aqualad sat by himself to think. He tapped his shoulder with a small grin.

"Huh? Oh! Hey! Are you feeling okay?" Aqualad asked.

"I should ask you that question," Robin mused and sat down with him. "What's eating you? I'm the only one that's supposed to have emotional baggage to deal with!"

"Hah! Okay, so you're right. Um...I went to ask Ambrosia about how much gold we would need. She wasn't sure, and she kept saying how she needed to get to Jericho. I was fine with it, and I was going to escort her back. But...then she touched my cheek and...well..." Aqualad frowned.

"Did she, Aqualad? Are you sure about that?" Robin asked, as he put a hand around a moon crystal. Elvey took over mildly to help him cast the glamour. Aqualad looked at Robin curiously and found himself blinking. Then he groaned, as something seemed to pound through his head when he met his friend's gaze.

"Ah...maybe not. It's fuzzy," Aqualad thought now. "I...no. She didn't. Probably some kind of a dream, I think. But, Jericho's with her now."

"Good. We won't know how much gold we'll need until the letters are carved out. Then we'll know for sure. That will happen tomorrow," Robin said. He released the used crystal and talked generally to show nothing was wrong. Aqualad nodded and chuckled.

"I could have sworn something happened. I think I've been up for too long," he sighed.

"I get the same thing, too, at times. You're free to leave at any time."

"Nah. I'm good. I'll just hang out here," Aqualad nodded. Robin gave a nod back and got up to head back to Starfire and Raven.

"Was it fixed?" Raven asked.

"Yes. It's fixed. For now," Robin frowned.

"I'll monitor him. Plant a moon crystal on him for Jericho, maybe. Not sure how," Raven admitted. Starfire thought, and she gasped at an idea. She whispered it to them, and that made them grin.

"That will work!" Robin grinned wickedly. "Cyborg!"

"I'm busy, man!" Cyborg scowled, as he was working on routing wires.

"I need you to make some exclusive Titan jewelry with moon crystals. Think you can handle it?" Robin asked. "It's important."

"Oh? What for?" Cyborg asked. Robin whispered to him on how Jericho could use crystals as surveillance for himself. That had him blink, and now he nodded. "I see. To better protect everyone, and to monitor Ambrosia as to who is around her. Okay. I'll make up a nice list of jewelry items. Let them pick what they want, and I'll craft it out. Gold will be needed, though. Or silver. Or whatever they want to use. The wiring can wait. This is more important, so let's do this."

"I'll make the announcement," Robin chuckled and stood up. "Titans! Your attention please!"

"Huh?" Jinx asked, as she stopped dancing with Kid Flash. Mas y Menos looked up expectantly. Everyone now gave over their attention.

"Since we have an excess of moon crystals, and all of you seem to like how pretty they are, all moon crystals, save the blue ones, can be used as fashionable jewelry. If you want something made, let Cyborg know! It may help for all of you to have something in case I need it as a backup. It can be a ring, a pendant, earrings, whatever you guys want!" Robin chuckled. That made gasps of delight and nods go around the room. Jericho was comforting Ambrosia in the bedroom and could only smile.

"Starfire is brilliant," he grinned.

"Hmm?" Ambrosia asked, as she rested against him.

"Starfire suggested, for me to keep a close eye on everyone, that is, for the Titans to wear moon crystal jewelry. Robin said it would help in case he needed a backup crystal. Everyone agrees," Jericho chuckled. "It would help this way."

"That it would," she sighed.

"Robin also put a glamour on Aqualad. Don't worry. You're safe," he smiled and kissed her. She kissed him back and rested against his chest with a form of relief.

"We should go back to see the others," she whispered.

"We can do that," he nodded. He kissed her softly and helped her dress before he dressed himself. Letting her loop her arm in his, he led her back to the ballroom to settle in the chair next to his. When they got there, Robin made his way over to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll be all right," she nodded. "It was...scary. To know that I was ready to simply..."

"Hush," Jericho soothed and kissed her temple. "From now on, we'll have either Beast Boy or Robin with you if I'm not there. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. She looked over, as Jinx walked up to them with a grin.

"Robin, can you dance with her again? It was so pretty when you did it!" Jinx said.

"If Starfire is fine with it, then I will," Robin said. Jinx nodded and skipped over to ask.

"Oh? Well, only if Robin will dance like that with me next," Starfire giggled.

"She gave the okay," Jericho nodded. "Love?"

"I think I'll be okay now," she smiled. He kissed her and let Robin lead her away. Jinx and Kid Flash watched, as Robin let Elvey out to dance with Ambrosia. This time, Jericho watched with approval.

" _Starfire...wants me to dance with her...like this..._ " Robin sighed and twirled her.

" _Will you be able to?_ " Ambrosia frowned, as he held her close to dip her.

" _I won't. Not in full. This dance...it was for you, Essi. It was only for you..._ " he muttered, as his mouth breathed up her neck. " _I...need you...Essi...!_ "

" _Later. After the gala,_ " she promised. He gasped for control, as he spun her again.

" _I love you,_ " he whispered in her ear.

" _And I love you,_ " she whispered back. He shivered and forced himself to end the dance with a small bow. She curtsied lightly to him and moved back over to Jericho's side.

" _I'm dancing with you like that now,_ " Jericho grinned.

" _Is that wise, husband?_ " she mused.

" _I want to watch Elvey sweat,_ " he said with a touch of wickedness in his voice. She giggled, and he led her back on the floor, as Robin led Starfire.

" _Huh?!_ " Robin grimaced lightly, as he watched Jericho dance with Ambrosia effortlessly. He growled and struggled to focus on dancing with Starfire. He twirled her around and tried to match Jericho's pace with Ambrosia, but it was tough to do.

"Robin! Slow down!" Starfire gasped. "Please?"

"I...okay," he nodded.  _She wasn't Ambrosia._   _She wasn't used to the Fae style of dance._

" _Is this a competition, husband?_ " Ambrosia smirked.

" _Maybe,_ " Jericho chuckled, as he dipped his wife and pressed a kiss on her mouth when she came back up. That made Robin mutter softly to himself. When the dance was over, he noticed that everyone was starting to show signs of exhaustion.  _Now was the time to end the gala._

"Titans! Take tomorrow to rest up! We'll work on the treaty when everyone's back in working condition! I think this was a big success, other than the memory thing. What do you guys think?" Robin asked. Agreeing cheers and applauds were done all around. "Remember! Tell Cyborg what jewelry you want from the moon crystals! Titans! Dismissed!"

They all relaxed and started to filter out. Jericho was confronted by Robin now, and he was grinning. Robin was clearly livid at what Jericho pulled on the dance floor.

" _I was dancing with_ my _wife. What's it to you?_ " Jericho smirked.

" _You kissed her in a dance that was only to be done with her and I_ ," Robin growled, as Elvey came out in full. " _That was uncalled for!_ "

" _Oh, come on!_ " Jericho rolled his eyes.

" _Later,_ " Ambrosia said with a soft smile. " _Remember?_ "

" _Right,_ " Robin nodded. " _Later._ "

" _Much later,_ " Jericho grounded out.

"Hey, Robin! You coming back home?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah. I need to go over a few things," he nodded. "Beast Boy!"

"Yes?" he asked as he walked over.

"From now on, if she walks off alone somewhere, one of us has to be with her," Robin warned.

"I figured that. Raven just told me what happened with Aqualad. That was cutting it close," he frowned. "You know I'm hiding on her when the gala happens."

"Good. That's what we'll need," Robin nodded. "All right, Titans. Let's go home."

" _My wife, let's go to bed,_ " Jericho smiled. She nodded, and he lifted her in his arms to carry her away, as Robin let Raven take them back to the Tower. In the bedroom, Jericho and Ambrosia held each other close. He sighed heavily, as he whispered, " _Esmiralda?_ "

" _Tintagel,_ " she sighed, and they kissed desperately. " _A thousand years away from you..._ "

" _Together now,_ " he said hoarsely and kissed her again. " _Even with you in my daughter's body, I just...it feels a touch awkward. Does it not?_ "

" _We are still husband and wife,_ " she mused.

" _I know. Yet, we are not complete. Not until Elvey gets here._ "

" _I wonder if I shall bear a son for you both._ "

" _It's possible. I think another daughter would be safer. Sons tend to be brash and head-strong._ "

" _True. So, what do we do while we wait for Elvey?_ " she asked with a knowing grin. He growled and pulled her close to kiss possessively. As they reunited after a thousand years, Robin was silently waiting in his room. Elvey was impatient again. He wanted to be with his lost love. He was focused intently on each bedroom chamber to listen for the signs of deep breathing and sleep. It was another hour before he heard those signs. Now he stood up and teleported out of the room. He went straight into the bedchamber of Jericho and Ambrosia.

" _Elvey,_ " Jericho sighed.

" _Where is she?!_ " Robin rasped out.

" _Here,_ " Ambrosia whispered behind him. He spun around and kissed her hard.  _Finally. After a thousand years, the three of them were reunited._

" _Essi! Oh, Essi...!_ " Robin whimpered, and he kissed her again.

" _Elvey,_ " she breathed, and it didn't take much longer than that for him to unite with her in the way he needed her. Jericho sighed, as he studied the chess pieces in front of him. He waited patiently until they were resting in the bed.

" _When does Robin plan to marry Starfire?_ " he asked.

" _Probably after Aelfric is born,_ " Robin said and sat up. The covers slide off his chest at the motion. Ambrosia was laying back in the bed and resting peacefully. " _It's amazing. Isn't it? All of us here. Together at long last again. Sinlus thought he won, but he really lost._ "

" _And he doesn't know a thing,_ " Jericho grinned wickedly.

" _Oh, that's always the beauty of it, isn't it?_ " Robin snickered. " _Hmm. Robin wants to know. Since his body is human, would he still be considered sterile?_ "

" _Good question!_ " Jericho thought. " _To Ambrosia, he would be. Not to Starfire. It's the way the Fae body responds to others. Only other way to explain it._ "

" _He's relieved,_ " Robin grinned.

" _It's astounding how everything worked out. You did say that something bad was going to happen to us all. That we would be torn apart, but brought back together in an unexpected way. Didn't you? You always had a feel for premonitions, dear,_ " Jericho sighed.

" _I know,_ " Ambrosia frowned, as she lay back in the bed. " _It was always my secret. I was, and still am, able to see the future in various ways. I do not foresee any of us separating from this point forward. There will be...hardships, though. A lot of hardships._ "

" _Essi, darling, do you see anything about Starfire's wedding?_ " Robin asked.

" _Hmm,_ " Ambrosia thought, as she narrowed her eyes. " _Trouble. With a relation. But, easily thwarted with your help, it appears._ "

" _That reminds me. What do you think of the dream our daughter had? With Sinlus and Orin?_ " Jericho asked with a heavy frown. That made Robin growl with hatred.

" _Ah. Orin will allow Sinlus to possess him. To try and get close to our daughter. We don't know when, but it has not happened yet. It will happen sometime either during the gala or after. I would say after. Sinlus may be protected in Orin's body and use his energy pattern,_ " she frowned. " _The future can change, but this is what I can sense right now. I also know that Orin does not fully trust Sinlus. He keeps things from him as Sinlus does to him._ "

" _So, Orin is not truly the eyes and ears of Sinlus. More like a pawn,_ " Jericho mused. " _He won't be able to tell Sinlus anything about us if he tried. That can be a definite advantage! But we should still block Orin from here as a precaution, regardless._ "

" _And we don't have Orin's energy pattern. Yet,_ " Robin mused. " _We'll have to hope we can get it and use it to block him, if we must. Like Sinlus._ "

" _I am sure we will,_ " Ambrosia giggled.

" _I love you, darling,_ " Jericho chuckled. " _Not only can we prepare ourselves for what's ahead, but I can help prepare us for things happening currently now. No one will be able to stop us!_ "

" _I have learned from my past mistakes. Believe me,_ " Robin muttered. " _A thousand years away from my brother and my love...and to just know that my own son was slaughtered and my daughter locked away...I don't want to have this happen again._ "

" _It won't, Elvey, dear,_ " Ambrosia smiled. He sighed at the name and kissed her deeply.

" _I know that I'll have to travel to various Fae castles when the gala is over. That will be a trying time for us. Beast Boy and Robin will need to be close to you, darling. I'll try to be no longer than a day at a time, but...even five minutes is risking too much,_ " Jericho cringed.

" _I do not foresee any others attempting anything. That is, as long as there is someone close,_ " she said. " _Just remember that, dears. Hmm. Elvey, dear, you need to go back to the Tower. They may start waking up early. An alarm may sound._ "

" _Oh? All right. I'll go now. What's this?_ " he blinked, as another long strand of hair was broken off on his body. It had the same honey scent, and he smiled.

" _Keep it with the other one. That one may be for Beast Boy, come to think of it,_ " Jericho mused.

" _Right. I'll give it to him,_ " Robin nodded and folded up the precious strand of hair. She watched him stand to dress, and he gazed at her.

"Is there something wrong?" Ambrosia asked, as her mother let her take over.

" _Robin...he wants to have a heart to heart talk with you. When the time is presentable, that is,_ " he said with a small swallow. " _I think it needs to be done._ "

"We'll plan for it," she nodded. He nodded and left right after.

"Hmm," Jericho sighed. "What he wants to do is risky of itself."

"What does he want to do?" she frowned.

"You'll see. He...doesn't want me to tell," he chuckled. She could only sigh and nod. He moved back to the bed to undress and rest at her side. Back at the Tower, Robin was laying back in his bed with his arms behind his head. His voice started to go from soft to hardened, as he talked to himself.

"Ambrosia.  _Essi._ How do I tell the two apart? _You can't. Plain and simple. Both are the same and yet different as a whole._ But why?  _Easy. Both love us._  I know that," Robin said, as he talked to himself with his hardened tone and Elvey's softer tone. "But, I'm confused. _It is easy to be confused, Robin. There is still so much for you to learn! Myself, too. Did you not feel it, though? When we danced with her? When we pulled her close?_  What was I supposed to feel? _Love. True love. Raw. Untainted. The moment Essi woke up, did you not feel it? How badly she missed me? She was lost to me for over a thousand years, Robin. Elven hundred years, to be exact! And all because of Sinlus!_  Don't worry, Elvey. He'll pay. He'll pay dearly! Don't even think for a second that he won't!  _Oh, I know, Robin. I have you to thank for that. I owe Raven much for offering the book to Beast Boy, but I owe Beast Boy my life, in a sense. If it wasn't for him, Ambrosia would still be lost. She'd be trapped away, and nothing would have come of it. I'd still be waiting for a chance at vengeance, and it likely wouldn't have happened ever again._ I am glad that Beast Boy can be trusted around her. He's more immune to her than I am.  _It's because you love her, Robin. And don't deny it!_ "

He growled at himself and sat up with a frown. He knew he loved Ambrosia. There was no other way to deny himself that fact.  _But, what I want to do is risky._ Even as he thought about it, he was grimacing.  _I want to open up to her. To tell her of my past. Of everything about myself._   _I know everything about her, but she knew nothing about me._  He doubted she knew much about any of them.  _What more was there for her to know?_

A knock on the door startled him, and he got up to open it. Beast Boy was there and looked troubled. Robin gestured for him to come in, and they both sat on the bed.

"I heard you talking to yourself with Elvey," Beast Boy frowned.

"Did you? How much did you overhear?" he asked.

"A bit. Dude, I know you love Star and Ambrosia, but how will this work out?"

"It will work. Battle Mages are known to be resourceful. I'm resourceful, too," Robin chuckled.

"And, if a kid happens? What will happen after that?"

"Raise the kid right. Only thing to do, really. Why do you ask?"

"I just...kinda wish there was someone for me," Beast Boy admitted. "I thought I found her...but...well...you know what happened with Terra."

"I know," Robin nodded and put a hand on his shoulder. "Love can hurt."

"Tell me about it!"

"Oh, this is for you. It came off of Ambrosia," he said, as he took the extra strand out to give to him. Beast Boy blinked and gaped as he took it.

"Why?"

"Dunno. Just accept it."

"I've been doing that a lot lately!"

"And has it all been bad?"

"Eh...no..." Beast Boy sulked. "But...why the hair?"

"Hmm," Robin thought, as Elvey answered. " _Think of the hair as a tracking device for you. Sniff it, find her scent, follow it. Good in case she's in danger. Normally, if the hair of a Fae girl falls off on a guy, it signals that she cares about him._ "

"But, both strands of hair fell off on you!"

" _I know, but Robin already has a strand of hair. You need that. Jericho said so._ "

"Heh. Fine. Jericho, huh?" he asked and put the carefully looped strand in a belt pocket.

" _Yeah. Him,_ " Robin muttered. " _Essi is with him now._ "

"Essi?"

" _Yeah. Ah! Esmiralda. My name for her was 'Essi' back in the day. My nickname to her,_ " Robin chuckled. " _It's what I whispered to her when we danced. The name let her wake up._ "

"Sounds pretty powerful."

" _If there is emotion behind it, anything can be powerful._ "

"I am jealous, though."

" _Of what?_ "

"Everyone has something cool except for me."

" _You just got a strand of Fae hair. You have no idea what power that holds,_ " Robin smirked.

"Oh?"

" _Fae hair can grant you the ability to do one of two things,_ " he said. " _You can easily find any other Fae that are invisible around you, and you can track down the one that owned the hair before. You can see invisible things now. I'd keep that secret to yourself._ "

"Okay. I feel better!" Beast Boy grinned. Robin grinned back.

" _Good._ "

"But, I still feel...I dunno. Inadequate."

"Beast Boy," Robin sighed and took over. "You do know that she's in her second month of her pregnancy, right? And, you do know that only you, I, or Jericho are the only ones allowed to 'help' her when she needs to be 'comforted', right? If the other Titans find out, they'll look at you and think that you are one lucky guy, and they'll be jealous of you!"

"Ah...oh..." Beast Boy blinked at the thought.

"Cyborg doesn't even know that you are the only other one to help her!"

"Okay, okay!"

"There is nothing for you to feel inadequate about."

"Well, when you put it like that, you're right," he grinned. "I gotta admit, I was impressed with your dancing with her. How did you pull it off?"

" _All Fae know how to dance. But...that dance was special,_ " Robin admitted, as Elvey recalled it. " _Sometimes, dances are original. They can only be danced by those that can feel the other. Essi and I...we had never danced together before that night. Long ago. When we danced, that was the dance that happened. Even tonight...it was the same dance after so long. It will always be the same dance. It was a dance of life, love, and triumph. Others may see it as something beautiful and foreign. But...to Essi and I...it was a reunion after over a thousand years of being apart. When she woke up and started to dance in sync with me...I knew it was her. There simply was no other explanation as to who it could have been._ "

"That's...wow..." Beast Boy frowned. "And if it was any other?"

" _You saw me with Starfire. The dance was clumsy. Awkward. I'm sure that, if it was a different dance tried, it would have been better. But, she wanted me to dance with her the same way. It didn't feel right. There was no synchronization. I tried to guide her, and it felt off. Yes, there was love, but it wasn't Essi's love in the dance. Normally, a dance between friends is nothing special. But...with someone you love...that is where the dance becomes special. It's a chance to get close. To know your partner. To be one with your partner on the dance floor. That's how it was supposed to be._ "

"I never realized that!"

" _There is a lot that many don't realize. Robin has no clue what to do when it comes to love. I've been in love for about two hundred years of my life. I'm a pro at it by now!_ "

"You know, Elvey, you really aren't such a bad guy when you aren't blowing up moon crystals in people's faces!" Beast Boy snickered. That got Robin laughing hard. He coughed and wiped away a tear with a shake of his head and a sigh.

" _Just make sure it's not your face a crystal blows up in!_ " he grinned wickedly.

"Don't worry. I'll hide behind Cyborg!" he grinned widely. More laughter was given now. "The metal meat head can take it! I'm sure of it!"

" _Wow..._ " Robin giggled and took a deep breath.

"All right, I'm gonna try and get more sleep," Beast Boy sighed. "I'll talk to ya in the morning."

" _Right,_ " he grinned. He let Beast Boy out and sat on the bed with a chuckle. Then he looked up, as Ambrosia appeared in front of him. He gaped and moved to support her. "Ambrosia! What are you doing here? Where is Jericho?"

"He's sleeping..." she sighed. "I...wanted to be with you, Robin..."

"Why?" he frowned.

"Why else? I love you," she shivered. He trembled and kissed her hard now. Her hands moved to encircle his neck, and he groaned, as he swallowed the honey she gave him. He didn't know where to set her down, but, ultimately, his bed was the final choice. The next thirty minutes passed in a state of blissful unawareness. It was only when she was resting her head against his shoulder and he had his arms around her that he looked at her. He knew she was troubled.

"Ambrosia, why exactly did you come see me?" he asked.

"I spent two weeks without you, Robin..." she frowned and traced a finger up his chest. "I was afraid that I wouldn't see you again. And then with everything that happened tonight..."

"Hush," he whispered and kissed her. "Seriously, Ambrosia. Why did you come to me?"

"Jericho sent me..." she finally shivered with a soft whimper.

"Why?" he asked, as he felt that something was wrong.

"Orin. That's why," she cringed. He looked at her with shock.

"Go on," he growled softly.

"We were...ready to sleep...and...he heard someone approaching. Someone...came back to see if the castle was habitable out of curiosity. It was Orin. When he saw how the place was alive, he ran straight to our bedchamber. He knocked on the door, and Jericho answered it after he dressed. I...he didn't want me to be seen, so he sent me here!" she shivered. "I did miss you, Robin, but..."

" _And he's confronting that ignorant whelp without me?!_ " Robin snarled, as Elvey emerged. " _Darling, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at_ him _for not getting me! Stay here!_ "

"Okay," she shivered. He kissed her passionately and dressed. He opened and closed his door quickly to move to Beast Boy's bedroom. He knocked on it.

"What?!" Beast Boy called out groggily.

"Beast Boy! Open up!" Robin hissed.

"Robin?!" he gasped and opened the door. He was hauled out in his pajamas and pulled down the hallway to get shoved into his room. When he saw Ambrosia on Robin's bed, his jaw gaped.

"Ambrosia needs you! Stay here!" Robin growled.

"Dude, what's going on?!" he demanded now.

" _Orin paid the Ireland castle a visit, and Jericho is having all the fun!_ " Robin snarled out from Elvey's raging thoughts. " _I need to help him. You need to stay to help her!_ "

"Okay. Go!" Beast Boy said. Robin teleported out quickly, and Ambrosia whimpered. "Hey! Everything will be okay. I won't let anything hurt you."

"You will protect me?" she whispered.

"Of course, I will!" he grinned. Then he paused at the feel of her hand on his cheek.

"You will comfort me?" she whispered now and blinked her eyes slowly.

"Yeah..." he nodded and found that he couldn't pull himself away. The scent of honey overpowered him, and he started to pant. She drew him close now, and her breath washed over him.

"Now?" she breathed, and he found his mouth moving over hers. He didn't know what came over him. He didn't know how to stop what came over him. It wouldn't be until later that he would realize just how bad it could have been if Aqualad was drawn into her instinctive pull to help her.  _Any male Titan would be at risk, and this was why she needed those she could trust with her._ Now that Beast Boy was protecting Ambrosia, Robin felt much more at ease. But he was also livid.

He got to the Ireland castle quickly and ran up to the bedroom. Jericho was playing a game of chess with Orin. He looked up at Robin and smirked, as the door was forcefully opened.

"Orin..." Jericho said lightly. "meet Robin. He's the one that I told you about just now."

"Oh?" Orin chuckled and looked over with a wave.

" _What the hell are you doing here?!_ " Robin seethed.

" _Elvey, play nice,_ " Jericho grinned wickedly when Tintagel neatly appeared.

"What do you mean, Elvey?  _The_  Elvey? The same King Elvey that died long ago?!" Orin gaped.

" _Yes. And, I introduced myself to you as King Jericho, which I am. But, I'm also Tintagel. King Tintagel, the Silent Death and Mage Bane,_ " he grinned. " _King Elvey is the same Laughing Battle Mage from long ago. We've been wanting to talk to you for...quite a long time now._ "

"Ah...oh...would you look at the time!" Orin suddenly said and stood up. When he tried to turn invisible, Jericho was able to stop him with a glance. Now Orin was scared. "I really must be going...!"

" _Like_ hell  _are you leaving!_ " Robin growled, as his pole came out to spin expertly in his hand. " _You tried to touch Ambrosia while she was bathing!_ "

"She...told you about that? She's still alive?!" Orin gaped.

" _Yes._ And she's my wife," Jericho muttered, the chess set forgotten now, as he rose up. " _I was waiting for Elvey to arrive._ My wife is safe?"

" _Very,_ " Robin nodded.

" _Good. Orin, you deserve a punishment. You infiltrated my home. Tried to be with my daughter from long ago,_ now my wife as well, _thought you could come here to claim the castle for yourself by stating that I was not the true owner, and you would_ dare _to try and think that you could slip past me to escape?!_ " Jericho growled, as he and Tintagel took turns talking. "I should call forth the Will of Judgment on you!"

"I can explain!" Orin panicked.

" _Why are you here?!_ " Robin growled.

"I was passing through the area, and I felt that new life was here! It didn't happen since...well...long ago...so I came by to see if the place was inhabited. When I saw the new life here, I slipped past the Treant and came up here. That's when I saw you, Jericho. King Tintagel...oh, whoever you are! Is Aelfric still alive?"

"He's being reborn from my wife," Jericho muttered.

" _So, yes, my son will be back as an infant,_ " Robin growled.

"He will?!" Orin gaped. Then he frowned with grief. "So...he did die..."

" _Yes. Now. Explain exactly why you approached Ambrosia in her bath. Make the story impressive, and I_ might _go easy on you,_ " Jericho smirked. His crown flickered angrily at this, and now Orin realized who's crown he was wearing.

"That's not King Tintagel's crown!" he gaped.

" _No. It was mine. Then Aelfric got it. Then Sinlus stole it while it tumbled off his head and corrupted it. The crown you see is actually a stunningly made duplicate, and Aelfric transferred the power from the original in death. The crown that you see is alive and true to form,_ " Robin grinned.

"To do that is forbidden!" Orin argued.

" _Well, my original crown died when I did,_ " Jericho frowned. " _I hold the ashes as proof._ "

"So...Sinlus was behind everything?" Orin asked.

" _Sinlus forced me to kill myself by threatening Ambrosia's life. Then he trapped her in a cursed box on her wedding day and birthday. He used her as a bargaining chip and slaughtered everything in the castle overnight!_ " Robin seethed. " _And...you know Sinlus?!_ "

"Everyone does! He was the one that spread the news about the deaths!" Orin grimaced. "When we heard no contact, we knew. We lost so many that night, and we haven't been able to rebuild our numbers since. We just now caught up, but we are not as powerful as many of them were."

"Esmiralda's crown lives on Ambrosia's head. She is my life mate, and my crown is  _soul-mated_  to hers. She is in her second term of pregnancy with my son," Jericho said. "That's why she is not here. She is with someone that I trust fully and completely."

"I see," Orin frowned. On learning of the soul-mated crowns, he knew that Ambrosia was lost to him. There would be no way he could claim her for himself.  _I would risk the wrath of the crowns if I tried to do so._ But, on learning she was in her second month of pregnancy, it made him hide his thoughts on various things.

"What I don't understand is, if Sinlus told everyone about the deaths, why didn't anyone try to come back and revive them?!" Jericho growled.

"We didn't know if the destructive force was still there! We...couldn't chance it," Orin frowned.

"No scouting parties were sent? No one at all?" he asked.

"No. If an entire civilization dies overnight, it signaled doom on any that tried to help," Orin explained. "The Elders forbade it."

"So, that's why Sinlus killed everyone. I see now," Jericho said grimly.

" _But...you still have yet to explain yourself about the bath incident,_ " Robin growled out.

"Ah...well..." Orin cringed. "Yes. I was in the wrong there. I was jealous and wanted to speak with Ambrosia, herself. I slipped past the guards and found myself in the bath chambers. When I saw her undressing I just...the sheer perfection she held! I lost control of myself. Even to this day, I regretted my actions towards her. I'm sure she only sees me as a vagrant now."

"She swears whenever she hears your name," Jericho mused. That made Orin's jaw drop, and Robin used his pole to close it. He pushed it up a bit more to make Orin cough before pulling it back.

" _You still need a thrashing!_ " Robin growled. " _Anyways, we'll see how well you behave. There is a gala that is going to be held in two nights. Leave now and wait for the invitation. This will be your only chance to prove that you have changed after a thousand years._ "

"Very well," Orin nodded. "Ambrosia will be there?"

" _Queen_ Ambrosia. She will. But, Esmiralda is alive in her mind, too. So, remember that. Oh. By the way...don't shake hands with Sinlus if you see him. Your life depends on it," Jericho muttered with irritation. Orin blinked at this, but he knew he overstayed his welcome. Robin reached for a crystal and used it to boot him out of the castle grounds, since it was approaching dawn.

" _Hmm,_ " Robin mused and looked at the tip of his pole. He took out another crystal and charged it with what energy residue he got from closing Orin's jaw. That made Jericho grin widely.

"Good work! We'll be able to detect him anywhere now. Bring Ambrosia back to me?" he asked. Robin nodded, gave him the crystal with Orin's essence, and teleported out. He got back to his bedroom to find it empty. A note was on the bed and he read it.

"Hi. Ambrosia is in my room. Easier to hide her. See you. BB. Okay, so...she's in his room?! She won't survive in there!" Robin groaned and moved quickly. He knocked on Beast Boy's door, and he heard something moving around with hushed whispers.

"Who is it?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's me," Robin muttered. He was let in and he blinked.  _The room was sparkling clean!_

"Ambrosia helped me clean up a bit...eh..." Beast Boy blushed. "She's been kept safe."

"Thank you! Ambrosia? Where are you?" Robin asked. Ambrosia peered out from behind a curtain, and Robin let her rush into his arms. He hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.

"So...yeah...no one else is gonna touch her," Beast Boy said.

"How fast did you fall into her trap?" he grinned.

"Instantly. So, yeah. Shut up before you say something!" Beast Boy growled. He smirked and felt her press into him even more. Robin sighed and told them what happened.

"Orin...I doubt I will ever see him as anything than what I know him as," she growled.

"I know," Robin frowned.

"I should have been there!" Beast Boy growled. "If he even tries to approach her, I'll chomp him with my T-Rex form and squash him flat with an elephant's butt!"

"You may improve his looks!" Robin grinned. Ambrosia giggled and started to sway with him. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

She didn't respond, but she started to move into a soft dance with him.

"At least there's room to dance now," Beast Boy chuckled. Robin couldn't pay attention. She had neatly absorbed his thoughts, and he could only do what she wanted. She ran a hand over his cheek, and he gasped for control. Beast Boy gaped at what he was seeing now. He finally understood what Robin was telling him about dancing.  _Their synchronization was perfect._   _This was Ambrosia and Robin._   _Not Elvey and Esmiralda._ This dance was slow. Passionate. Caring. Even the twirl he did to her was slow and carefully precise. He pulled her close to take a deep breath, as she pressed against him. He dipped her and pulled her up to kiss passionately. A soft nuzzle was given under his jaw, and he groaned.

"Jericho wanted you to go back to him," Robin swallowed.

"I see," she mused and traced along his jaw with a small finger. "Do you want me to go back to him? Should I stay with you instead? What do you think?"

"Dude..." Beast Boy said with concern.

"You aren't playing fair," Robin grounded out. Her honey scent was catching him and pulling him down.  _I have to resist!_  Elvey now had to try and help. " _I'm taking you back to Jericho!_ "

"Are you sure?" she asked with a soft croon and placed a finger on his lips.

" _You evil seductress!_ " he growled and kissed her. He forced himself to pull away with a sharp growl of control, and he muttered, " _You need Jericho! We leave now!_ "

"Do we?" she mused and ran a finger over his cheek. He groaned and shivered for control.

" _Beast Boy! I need you to get Jericho! Shout into a crystal!_ " Robin panted. "You'll be the death of me, Ambrosia! Please! I..."

"I...?" she giggled. "Need...you?"

"Wow..." Beast Boy chuckled and pulled out his red crystal. "Jericho! If you can hear this, help Robin? Eh...Ambrosia is giving him a run around..."

"So I see," Jericho mused, as he teleported to them. "Ambrosia?"

"Ah...hello, dear..." she blushed, and Robin sighed with relief. Everything she was doing to him had suddenly stopped and seemed to fully dissipate at Jericho's arrival.

"Come to me, love," Jericho said with a grin. She moved to his side, and he hugged her tight. "Thanks for helping her, Beast Boy. Robin? Will you be all right?"

"Nothing a cold shower can't fix!" he growled.

"Robin," Ambrosia smiled. "I can heal you in my bedroom, you know."

"I..." he paused. Then he smirked. "Okay."

"You'd better hurry. The others will be up soon," Beast Boy grinned.

"You should come with us," Ambrosia said with a playful growl. That made Jericho gape, and Robin stared at her with shock. Beast Boy just looked at her with confusion.

"Eh...I'm sure that won't be necessary!" he said quickly.

"Nonsense. I need to thank you properly for helping me. Don't I?" she asked, as she reached over to place a finger on his lips.

"Jericho...?" Robin asked.

" _I think...this happened before. With Esmiralda. Fourth pregnancy. Ah...remember how she was so...needy that she, eh...wouldn't let either of us leave for a whole day?_ " Jericho grimaced.

" _But, she only did that to those she cared about! Why...oh..._ " Robin blinked.

"You care about me?" Beast Boy asked with awe.

"You freed me from a curse that stripped me away from all I knew and loved. Of course, I care about you, Beast Boy," she smiled warmly. "At first, I wasn't sure if Jericho's words on trusting you were true. But...now I see that he was right."

" _We can't stay the whole day, though!_ " Robin grimaced.

"It can be for an hour," she chuckled. She reached out to Beast Boy again, and he grasped her hand. He was enthralled in her scent, and the very gaze of her eyes reached deep into his core. He was trapped, and he didn't want to leave her side until she released him.

" _Great. She instinctively charmed him,_ " Jericho sighed.

" _Well, not much we can do about it,_ " Robin muttered. " _Only she can let him go safely._ "

"Let's go," Jericho nodded. He took them all back to the Ireland castle bedroom. Once there, she was able to satisfy her instinctive cravings from Beast Boy and Robin. They were sent back shortly after.

"Ugh..." Beast Boy cringed, as Robin slumped him on the bed.

" _Just sleep it off. The effects will be gone when you wake up,_ " Robin chuckled.

"What...did she do?"

" _She charmed you. A little bit. Made you want to do things with her._ "

"She didn't have to charm me to do that!"

" _It was instinctive. Likely what happened with you in my room and what nearly happened with Aqualad. She's...dangerous right now. We have to be careful._ "

"Okay," Beast Boy sighed and closed his eyes to sleep. Robin walked out of Beast Boy's room and shut the door. Then he found himself confronted by Cyborg.

"You. Me. Talk. Now!" he growled.

"Okay," Robin said, as he leaned against the wall with his arms over his chest. "About what?"

"I just reviewed the footage from the past few hours in this hallway. What were you doing with Beast Boy, and why was Ambrosia here? What happened?!" Cyborg demanded.

"Orin showed up at the Ireland castle. Ambrosia was brought to me to keep safe, but she told me what happened. I had Beast Boy protect her while I went to handle Orin," Robin said with a growl of his own. That made Cyborg blink, and he remembered what Orin did to Ambrosia.

"Okay. That makes sense then. What did Orin want?" he asked.

"Oh, he just tried to say that the castle was his. Until I showed up," Robin grinned wickedly. "He'll be at the gala. Maybe. I'll be more than happy to point him out to everyone. He may even announce his name! I hope he gets crushed!"

"Oh, he will get crushed!" Cyborg mused. "Where's Ambrosia now?"

"With Jericho."

"Did she survive in Beast Boy's room?"

"She cleaned it."

"What?! No way!"

"Yep!" Robin grinned. Cyborg moved to take a peek in Beast Boy's room and gaped.

"Wow. There's a floor. With carpet! And I can see out the window! Okay. I'm impressed!"

"Anyways, I need sleep. And, eh, a secret for us," Robin said. "Since Esmiralda is awake, she is a very powerful seer. As in, she can see future events. An alarm might go off. Unless that was the one for Orin, but I'm not sure. Keep an eye open."

"Really? Okay. I'll do that," Cyborg nodded. Robin bumped knuckles with him and moved into his room to relax on the bed. Then he froze.  _The scent of honey was all over the sheets!_ He groaned softly and gasped with control.  _This was not good!_ He looked over and found three strands of long hair embedded in his pillow. He carefully pulled out the strands to fold them up and place with the other one.  _Why was she giving over so much hair?_ As he thought about it, there was only one thought that entered his mind.  _She loved me, and her hair would keep me safe._  He found himself smiling softly, and he remembered the dance they had in Beast Boy's room.  _That was_ our _dance._   _That slow, loving, passionate dance was ours!_  He grimaced when he found himself missing her now.  _What can I do?_

He felt arms around him that smelled of honey, and he turned to kiss Ambrosia fully. He would always know it was her. Jericho was reading his thoughts and sent Ambrosia back to him. He had to do the same thing for Elvey. They couldn't all live together, so this was the only way to keep them all together. It was the only way to keep her happy. Even as he moved to his bed with her, Elvey started to give him all the secret spots her body held. A nibble here would make her purr. A bite there would reward him with a soft squeal. But, Robin found a new place on Ambrosia. Right along the curve of her neck, a nibble would make her shiver, and a bite would make gasp out sharply.

An hour later, he was sleeping, and she was sleeping deeply on his chest. His door was securely locked and alarmed to warn if anyone came close. Jericho was also making sure that no one would approach them. His mind now held various mental monitoring screens from all of the crystals he looked through. He saw deer move past the crystal by the grove to the small castle. Shadows played over the crystals that were being charged and embedded in various Titan Towers. Even as the sun moved through various parts of the sky across the world, he watched everything silently. As new crystals formed from being harvested by Kid Flash and Mas y Menos, he was able to start seeing through them, too. It was when Cyborg started to move that his attention was fully caught. The mental screen was focused on and brought into full view to see what the half-robotic human was up to.

He was working on the gun that stunned and blocked Beast Boy's ability. He was analyzing it's structure and carefully taking it apart. Notes were jotted on, and even these were seen with picture-perfect accuracy. Jericho was clearly concerned about what was being found. He decided to drop in.

"Cyborg," Jericho said, as he appeared.

"Aah!" he shrieked and jumped. "Dude! That's not cool!"

"Sorry. It's a habit now," Jericho grinned. "I have a question for you."

"Sure. What's up?"

"I was watching what you're doing with the gun. Is it really focused on neutralizing the molecular structure of anything non-human?"

"How did you see my notes?!"

"You'd be amazed at what I can see through the tiniest charged crystal," Jericho mused.

"Seriously? Huh. Okay. Anyways, yeah. It's been designed to be a magnet for mutated DNA. Pretty much anything that's not human, it targets to, well, as Ambrosia put it, 'lock up' and store away. It sends a paralyzing effect through the muscles, too. That's why Beast Boy couldn't move. I was trying to find a way to strengthen non-human DNA to resist it, but, to do that, I'd need a drop of blood from everyone here. Then I'd have to make booster shots for everyone. It's a pain!" Cyborg sighed.

"I can see how that would be a pain. Maybe..." Jericho mused. "the nectar my wife makes. It cured Beast Boy. Maybe we can just see about getting some of the nectar from my wife, extracting what cured him, and using that in the booster shot? I might be able to help get the nectar, but I don't want anyone to simply get my wife's healing power."

"I know. In the wrong hands, it can be bad," Cyborg sighed. "I don't want her to kiss me!"

"Neither do I," he agreed. "That's something that isn't needed."

"Right. Well, if you can get me a sample of her healing power, I'll see what I can do."

"All right. She's sleeping right now. When she wakes up, I'll bring her here," Jericho nodded. When he vanished away, Cyborg blinked and sighed with a chuckle.

"Fae. Dang! Hmm. I should work on that crystal rotator I was talking to Robin about before," he grinned and started up a design sketch. Jericho settled back in the bed in his bedroom and watched over Robin's room again. Seeing that they weren't disturbed, he rested again.


	14. Chapter 14

It wasn't until four hours later that he would spot something else that caught his attention. As he monitored each room silently, he noticed that Beast Boy was starting to wake up. It was the same for Raven and Starfire. That made him chuckle.

"Time to wake up, Robin," Jericho mused and focused on him. The mental pulse he sent was enough to snap Robin's eyes open and groan.

"Dear? What is it?" Ambrosia frowned, as she blinked awake. He looked at her with surprise and remembered what happened. He seemed to give a sigh of relief. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. At another mental jab, he growled. That one was to remind him that she wasn't his.

"Jericho. He woke me up. Likely telling me that others are around. I gotta get you dressed and sent back to him. Quick," he sighed. "Come on."

"Okay," she nodded. Jericho appeared with a smile to show he was waiting for her.

"Love, we need to go. We'll come back later on, though," he said.

"Oh?" Robin asked, as he helped her dress.

"Yes. Cyborg and I made an interesting discovery with the gun."

"Really? Okay. I'll check that out. I'll see you soon," Robin smiled at her.

"I look forward to it," she blushed. He kissed her softly and let Jericho take her back to Ireland. He sighed and took a quick shower. After he dressed, he checked the bed for anymore strands of hair. Not finding any, he made the bed and looked over at the door as it got knocked on. He opened it and found Starfire smiling at him.

"Robin! Ready for breakfast eating?" she giggled. Then she paused and pointed at a strand of hair on the front of his uniform. "Who's hair is that?!"

"Ah...oh! It must be from Ambrosia. She's been leaving her hair for us. Did you know that her hair smells like honey? And you can see invisible things with it?" he grinned. Elvey took full control over this situation to help Robin know what to say to help ease the mood significantly.

"You can?" she blinked.

"Yeah! Here. You can have this one. I have a couple more already," Robin smiled.

"Oh! It does smell like honey! It's pretty! And so long! Will it break?"

"If you're careful with it, it won't break. The best thing to do is to bundle it up like this, see?" he said, as he wrapped the hair in on itself. "Then you can carry it around in your pocket. You can see invisible things this way. You might be surprised!"

"Oh. But, this was Ambrosia's hair on you!" she frowned.

"Remember, I danced with her last night. Oh, wait, different uniform. That's right. Orin paid a visit to her home last night, and she was brought here. I had to let Beast Boy help her so I could help confront Orin," Robin frowned. "That was likely when I got the hair."

"Orin?! The one that dared to harm Ambrosia in her bath?!" Starfire gaped.

"Yeah. That one!" he growled. "He'll be at the gala."

"Now I know I'll be there," Raven growled, as she walked over. "And...I want one of her hairs. To help me see invisible things. Please."

"Okay," Robin nodded. "I'll give one to Cyborg, too."

He pulled out two hairs and gave one to Raven. She sniffed it curiously and placed it in a hidden pouch in her robe. The strand of hair actually gave the robe a power boost. She blinked and chuckled.

"Nice!" she grinned. "Her hair powered up my robe."

"Did it?" Robin mused. "Not bad! Let me talk to Cyborg, and I'll be down for breakfast."

"Okay," Starfire beamed. He pulled her close to kiss, and now she blushed hard. He grinned a bit, and she moved to the main room to get breakfast ready. Robin walked to where Cyborg was and the gun was quickly discussed. At the mention of Ambrosia giving over some of her healing nectar, Robin frowned and shook his head. He clearly didn't like that.

"I don't know if it can be given over," Robin thought. "If anything, either me or Beast Boy would have to kiss her just to get the nectar. There is some on her fingers, but it's not enough."

"You kiss her. I don't want to work with Beast Boy's drool!" Cyborg snorted.

"Keep Starfire busy, and you have a deal," Robin grinned. "Oh, this is for you. It's one of Ambrosia's hairs from her head. Yes, it smells like honey, but you can see invisible things with it. The others have strands already. Just keep it on you at all times. It's hard to break."

"Wow! This is really long for a strand of hair! And...oh! It reeks of honey! Wow! Okay, I'm stoked! Invisible things, eh? Cool! I'll put it in one of my compartments. I'm ready to eat now!"

They bumped knuckles and walked to the main room. Beast Boy was already making tofu waffles and serving them with a large, cheesy grin.

"Oh, no! You did NOT just serve me one of those!" Cyborg shouted.

"You snooze, you lose!" Beast Boy said and made a face at him.

"Why, you little...! Get over here!"

"No! Eat the waffle!"

"Give me bacon! Sausage! Eggs!"

"Tofu!"

"No! Meat!"

"That's right! No meat!"

"Shut up! Give me a steak!"

"Ew! Dude! No!"

"Oh, brother..." Robin sighed, as the kitchen became a battle zone again. Raven shielded herself as an egg nearly hit her. Starfire cringed and watched the battle continue.

"Um...excuse me?" Ambrosia frowned when she appeared with Jericho. "What is going on?"

"Breakfast food fight," Robin muttered. Then he saw what she was wearing. It was a silk jumpsuit of dark blue with white stripes running up the sides. It seemed to cling to her slender, delicate form, and Jericho was grinning, as he had an arm around her waist. Beast Boy looked over and squealed.

"You look great! Did you make that?!" he asked.

"Yes," she blushed. "Um, what are you making for breakfast?"

"Bacon, sausage, and eggs!" Cyborg grinned.

"No! It's tofu waffles!" Beast Boy scowled.

"I have some Fae honey. I'm good," she smiled. "If you want some, let me know."

"Fae...honey..." Beast Boy blinked and moved to her side in the form of a dog to sit up and beg with large, puppy-dog eyes. She laughed and dabbed a little on his nose. He rolled over to play dead.

"She really wanted to try and go into the city today. Now I know, in the next week, there is a Renaissance Fair going on. She can fit right in," Jericho chuckled.

"You're right! That would be a nice place for her," Robin mused.

"We should have a waffle," Jericho smiled. She looked at him with amusement.

"You eat one. I'm good. I don't...really want to chance human food being pregnant. That bite of pizza before, well, I was always sick, and it came up fast. So..." she frowned.

"We'll stick with the honey for now," Jericho nodded. Raven sighed, and Starfire frowned.

"I'm sure I can eat another waffle later. I had human food before, but not right now," Ambrosia smiled. "I just want to play it safe. After Aelfric is born, I will chance it."

"Makes sense," Robin nodded. "I'll eat a normal breakfast for once. If I'm still hungry, I'll take some honey. What's the plan for today?"

"Well, it's pretty much a rest day until later. I was thinking we could take Ambrosia to a movie. Or someplace not really crowded. I do have an invisible chain from her wrist to mine that I can use. I know I'll need it. The last thing I need is for her to get lost somewhere," Jericho sighed.

"Really?" Ambrosia frowned and made a face at him. He tickled her and got her laughing.

"How will you cover the crowns?" Raven asked.

"Hats," Jericho said, as he produced a couple baseball caps to fit over the crowns.

"That works! And the hat comes down over her ears. Not bad!" Robin smiled. Starfire giggled at the new look, and they all sat down on the couches. The remote was picked up, and the television was turned on. Ambrosia squeaked in surprise at the picture of a giant news reporter, and Jericho hugged her as she snuggled against him.

"Why'd she do that?" Beast Boy frowned.

"She never saw television before. She saw the game, but not real stuff like this," Jericho mused. Raven got up, went into her room, came back with a few books, and dropped them in Ambrosia's lap.

"Read those," she said, as she was served a plate of food. Ambrosia blinked and started to read. Everyone but Raven and Jericho gaped at how fast she read through the books.

"Now...that's curious," she blinked. "I see. Okay."

"You read...those books...that fast...?!" Robin gaped.

"Yes. All Fae can read quickly," she blushed. Jericho kissed her forehead and chuckled.

"I wonder," Robin thought and got up. He came back with a few books on Martial Arts for her to read. She looked at them with wonder and started to read. When she finished, she stood up and bowed to Robin. He stood up, bowed back, and she was swiftly knocking him into the wall with a fierce, glowing jab to the chest. He coughed at what happened and just stared at how hard he was hit. She knocked him back so hard that he left an indentation in the steel wall. She bowed again and blushed.

"What the heck was that?!" Cyborg gaped.

"Apparently, chi is like Fae energy. I focused it and struck Robin with it," she giggled. "Um...Robin? You are okay? I made sure not to break any bones..."

"Ow..." Robin winced, as he tried to move. She rushed to his side to press a hand to where she hit him. The healing energy came forth, and the pain vanished. He sighed and whispered, "Thanks. That was a nasty hit! I don't ever want to make you mad!"

"Jericho, dear?" she asked. She looked at him, as he finished reading the Martial Arts books.

"Okay. Hit me," he grinned. She got up to bow and moved swiftly. He was barely able to block her and was gaping at how fast she had become. She actually managed to dodge a block and strike up into his chest towards his lungs. He cried out in shock that he actually got owned by his wife. He coughed up blood, and she cringed. Kneeling down, she healed him quickly, and he was gaping at her.

"Jericho?" she whimpered.

"If Orin touches you, you kick him through a wall!" Jericho ordered.

"Okay," she said with a soft blush.

"How...is she able to do...that?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"She said that Fae energy is like chi, right? Body energy? And, if she can focus on it to do that and increase her speed with everything else..." Cyborg thought. "Don't hit me!"

"Never!" Ambrosia gasped. "Um...is this bad?"

"Bad?! No! It is awesome! You can kick the butt with that!" Starfire beamed.

"I need to train against you," Robin grinned. "Not now, though."

"Train against me, too," Jericho sighed. She blushed and looked away. Then she looked over at the window. She saw the sun was rising here, and she sighed with a soft frown.

"What's wrong?" Raven asked.

"I used to gaze for hours at the rising and setting of the sun before my curse started. I loved the colors so much! But, when I was cursed, the last thing I would see would be the moon fading in the distance as the sun appeared. I never really got to see any sunsets. Always the sunrise," she said. "In the end, I came to hate the rise of the sun. It meant I would be trapped again in darkness. It's...hard to forget such things...you see...so..."

"Darling," Jericho whispered and hugged her to him. "Things are different now."

"I know. It's just...for over a thousand years...for only three nights of a century around my birthday...it was the last thing I would always see. I would never appear until the light of the moon shone over the stump I sat on. I...sorry..." she said and wiped a tear away.

"Wow," Cyborg grimaced. "That's harsh."

Jericho thought and lifted her into his arms to carry her up to the roof. Robin stood up to follow out of curiosity, and Beast Boy joined him. Jericho set her on one of the inner railings and sat with her with his arm around her. She leaned into him, and he hugged her.

"From now on," he whispered to her. "if you ever get upset at the rising of the sun, I will sit with you, and we will watch it together. Okay?"

"Oh, Jericho! I love you!" she gasped, and they kissed passionately. He held her tight to him, and he sighed, as she let him rock her now. Robin looked over at Beast Boy, and they both sighed. They knew that various things were going to remind her of painful memories.  _The simple rising of the sun did this._ They had no idea, but now they were aware of it. Jericho continued to watch the sunrise with his wife until the sun was well into the sky. At about half past nine, they smiled at each other, and he led her back into the Tower. Beast Boy was already telling the others of what Jericho was going to do.

"That is so romantic!" Starfire beamed. "Is everything okay now?"

"I think it will be," Ambrosia nodded. Jericho kissed her forehead and squeezed her.

"You should probably wear something else to blend in," Robin said. "Ever heard of jeans?"

"Jeans?" she blinked. Raven got up, went to her room, and brought out a fashion magazine to give her to read. Beast Boy gaped at her.

"Since when do  _you_  read magazines?!" he asked.

"It's something to do. Right?" Raven grinned at him. That made him chuckle and scratch his head with a nod. "That holds most of the latest fashions. Do you need to make your clothes?"

"Not really. I learned how to morph my clothing into various things," Ambrosia said. She flipped through the pages quickly and stood away from Jericho. She focused and her crown flared out under the hat. Her jumpsuit glowed to become a set of tight, skimpy jeans and a snug, crop top shirt that neatly showed off her slender, perfect waist. She kept the shoes the same. The hat became a nice little sun hat of sorts. "How's this?"

"She's my wife!" Jericho growled out. He walked over to her and put an arm around her dainty waist. He studied her hair and undid a braid or two to let the lesser locks flow down in front of her ears as small waves of silver tinted gold. "Not bad!"

"Uh..." Robin gaped and shook himself out of his stupor. Starfire wasn't watching him, luckily.

"Do you think I will fit in?" she chuckled.

"Yes. You will. Oh, if you guys are to show you're married, most couples wear rings. Wedding rings. So, I, eh...made a couple for you guys," Cyborg grinned and produced them. "I got the idea when I was making jewelry for the other Titans. White moon stones around a deep blue one. Yours is a bit more slender, Ambrosia. There was enough gold to do it."

"Oh!" she gasped, as she tried it on. "It fits perfectly!"

"Now this is surprising," Jericho nodded. "And it will help. You have my thanks!"

"Aw, don't mention it!" Cyborg blushed. Ambrosia tip-toed over to him and kissed his cheek. That got him blushing even more, and he grinned. "Stop it! I don't deserve that!"

"You look funny!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Shut up!" he scowled.

"So, where are we going now?" she asked.

"Well, let's go to a park. Is the car large enough?" Robin asked.

"We can take it. There should be enough room, if Beast Boy becomes something small," Cyborg chuckled. Beast Boy became the tiny lap dragon and settled on Ambrosia's shoulders with a wink.

"Become a bird, Bird-brain! Less conspicuous!" Cyborg growled. He became a sparrow and twittered irritably at him. Jericho whispered to him, and he became a large parrot.

"Squawk! Cyborg's a metal dunce! Squawk!" Beast Boy cackled.

"Feather head!" Cyborg spat out.

"Oh, dear," Ambrosia sighed. Robin just shook his head, and Jericho was grinning. Starfire and Raven looked at each other with shrugs. They started to walk to the car, and the door was opened for them. She was slender enough to sit between Jericho and Robin. Raven sat by the window next to Robin, and Jericho was by the other one. Starfire settled in the front seat, and Beast Boy moved into Ambrosia's lap. Cyborg got in the driver's seat and started up the engine. This was Ambrosia's first car ride, and she was excited. Jericho was chuckling at her, as she peered out the windows. Robin kept his hands in his lap, though he ached to put an arm around her. He couldn't chance it with Starfire around.

"Maybe she should sit up front?" Raven asked.

"I'm good," Ambrosia giggled. Jericho watched her take in the sights happily. Then he blinked and focused his mental screens on a moon crystal near the castle in Ireland.

"Hmm," Jericho frowned. "Interesting..."

"What?" Robin asked.

"There are...old villagers examining the hill in Ireland. They are harmless, but I'm setting up the defenses just in case. Huh? Oh, no!" he growled.

"What?" Cyborg frowned.

"They're putting salt around the ground!" he snarled.

"Salt?" Beast Boy asked.

"Salt is an ancient form of anti-magical defense. Even against the Unseelie Court, salt is effective. It is a sure way to even keep me away from something," she frowned. "But, only if it is sprinkled diligently on the ground. That is the only way it will work."

"We need to stop them!" Robin frowned.

"I just notified a few Titans that are living there. The old villagers are in for a shock! And...yep. Herald sent them away. Good," Jericho grinned. "Jinx helped him, too. Aqualad appears to be helping in cleansing the salt off the ground with a few others to keep the ground pure. Ah...hmm. I need to glamour the villagers. It's nightfall there. I'll be quick. Robin?"

"Right," he nodded and snuck an arm around Ambrosia. "Hurry!"

Jericho nodded and teleported away. Ambrosia frowned. She had five minutes until her worry for him set in. It took only three, and he was back to help her. Robin sighed with relief and let Jericho hug her to his chest. He didn't want Starfire to start getting upset. Jericho pulled her against him a bit more, and she relaxed with a soft sigh.

"Good," Raven nodded.

"I know," Jericho smirked. "Where are we going?"

"I figured we'd go to a mall," Cyborg said.

"No crowded places," he said sternly.

"Well, everywhere is crowded during the day," Beast Boy said with a bit of worry.

"We agreed on a park," Robin said.

"We could go to a place of eating?" Starfire asked.

"Wherever you want to go is fine. I will not be eating, though," Ambrosia smiled.

"We know," Cyborg nodded. "Okay, let's hit up a pizza joint!"

"Woohoo!" Beast Boy said and flapped his wings. They drove up to the local pizza place, and they got out of the car. Robin took up a menu, as they sat down. Jericho kept his arm securely around her and made sure their new wedding rings were in view.

"I think I'll have water," Ambrosia smiled.

"We can get a pitcher of water," Robin nodded. Beast Boy sat back in his chair at the table with a sigh of relief. He loved cheese pizza! Cyborg looked over at a group of girls giggling at them. Raven glanced at them and sighed. When one of the girls walked over, Jericho glanced at Robin.

"Can we assist you?" Starfire asked the brunette.

"Sure. We want his number!" the girl giggled at Jericho. He rose up his hand to show his wedding ring. Then she saw his wife and how beautiful she was. "Oh! You're married! Um...never mind! Sorry to bother you!"

"Sure," Jericho muttered with annoyance. The girl tittered off, and her friends joined her.

"Wow," Raven grinned.

"It happens.  _Used to happen all the time, remember, dear?_ " Jericho grinned.

" _Yes. Like the two mistresses you ended up with, Tintagel?_ " Ambrosia muttered, as Esmiralda came out. His face went blank, and now the others were staring at him with shock. Robin was leaning back and had his arms over his chest with a wide grin. Elvey never cheated on his wife. Or on Esmiralda when he was with her, for that matter. Jericho cleared his throat.

" _That was then. Not now. I wouldn't do such a thing,_ " he said.

" _I hope so. For the sake of our daughter's health,_ " she frowned. " _You were forced to get rid of them when she started asking questions. Remember?_ "

" _Ah...yes...I know..._ " Jericho said, as he started to sweat. " _Darling, please, not here..._ "

" _Why not? You brought up things at random when I was with you before._  Remember _?_ " she muttered. " _But, that was then. This is now._ "

" _That's right,_ " Jericho said.

" _Don't repeat past mistakes. Right?_ "

" _Right. Clean slate for us all._ "

" _Humph,_ " she frowned, and Jericho cringed. Robin started to snicker, and he got a glare.

"Gotta love old memories, eh?" Beast Boy grinned.

" _You stay out of this!_ " Jericho snapped. Ambrosia reached up a hand and calmly caressed his cheek. He looked at her with a sigh.

"Don't worry, love. Mother was right about the past. This is me. Us. Right?" she smiled.

"Yes. Us," he smiled and kissed her deeply.

"Get a room!" Beast Boy groaned. Jericho smirked at him.

"Are we going to order something?" Raven asked. "Or watch them make out?"

"Yeah, yeah," Robin chuckled and placed the order for two pizzas and a pitcher of water.

"Where is the bathroom here?" Ambrosia asked.

"Inside. I can lead you!" Starfire giggled. She nodded, and Raven decided to go with them.

" _You messed up hard, Tintagel,_ " Robin grinned.

" _Shut up, Elvey!_ " Jericho scowled at his snicker.

" _I never cheated! Ever!_ " he teased.

" _Sure. In the past,_ " Jericho smirked. That made Robin blink and mutter softly to himself.

"What?" Cyborg blinked.

"Think about it, dude," Beast Boy sighed. "Robin is going to be helping Ambrosia now and then. It's her second month. Remember?"

"Ah...oh! Starfire...okay. I am  _so_  glad I'm not you!" Cyborg grinned now.

" _Shut up!_ " Robin growled. Jericho checked the time and frowned. Inside the restaurant, Ambrosia was able to walk out of the bathroom, but she was accosted by two young men. They were both dressed in black leather pants, leather jackets, and white shirts.

"Hey, cutie!" a late teen with dark brown hair and sunglasses said.

"We know a place we can go to, eh, hang out. Interested?" his dirty blond partner asked.

"I'm sure my husband would be amused at your offer," Ambrosia said, as she flashed her wedding ring. That made them gape at first, but then the darker haired guy simply shrugged.

"I'm sure he won't know you're gone," he grinned.

"She said to back off," Raven growled when walked up behind them.

"You can come with us," he grinned.

"I need my husband," Ambrosia frowned. She was starting to worry about him.

"Yes, you do!" Jericho said irritably, as he walked up to them. "Darling? Are you all right?"

At the sight of him, and how angry he looked, the two teens held up their hands and walked away. Even though Jericho was a late teen, himself, his stance and attitude easily had them fooled. She frowned at them and moved into his arms. Starfire had gotten the pizzas and the water pitcher. Raven whispered to her and caught the food with her shadows before she dropped them in a fit of rage.

"How dare they!" Starfire hissed.

"It's taken care of. The others are waiting," Jericho said. Starfire nodded and let Raven help her with the food. They sat back down at the table, and Ambrosia was poured some water. Jericho kept his arm around her waist the whole time. As they started eating, Ambrosia stuck to the water. She was thinking about what happened and Jericho squeezed her.

"Maybe it was a mistake to come out here," Ambrosia sighed.

"No. You're fine. This actually happens quite a bit," Robin admitted. "Don't worry."

"What's that?" Raven frowned, as a car was speeding down the street. It was out of control and careening straight towards Cyborg's car.

"MY BABY! NO!" Cyborg freaked. Ambrosia stood up, shouted, and rose up her hands for two, massive root-like hands to come up out of the ground and catch the car to hold it in the air. The others just stared in shock. When the car was stable, she lowered her arms, and the car was released. The roots went back into the ground, and the street was mended as though nothing ever happened.

"Who is that girl?!" a woman gasped. Other pedestrians paused to gape in shock at what they saw. They all looked up, as Robin stood up with his hands on his hips. They knew who he was.

"She's a Titan!" Robin grinned. Ambrosia blushed, and Jericho chuckled. The driver of the car came out, and he was clearly disoriented. She frowned, but Robin held her back with a shake of his head.

"He's right. You did enough. If you do anymore, you'll be questioned. We'll let them think that you can control plants. That's all they need to know," Jericho nodded.

"My baby's okay! You saved my baby!" Cyborg said with tears in his eyes.

"It was important to you. And we have no other way to get back, right?" Ambrosia winked.

"Right!" he agreed. Police and paramedics were on the scene soon, and Jericho sighed.

"We need to finish eating and then head out. Fast. I don't want my wife to become crowded with reporters. Hide your face, dearest," he whispered. She nodded and sipped her water. "I may pretend to be mute. Be aware of this."

"Right," Robin grinned. "Let's get a 'to go' box."

"Okay!" Beast Boy nodded and ran off to grab a couple boxes. When he came back, there was a small crowd around the table. Ambrosia was clearly flustered, Jericho was getting pissed, and the others were being ignored. Then he felt Ambrosia's thoughts.  _She was scared._ The questions she was being bombarded with were bordering on personal basis, and she was close to wanting to run away from the embarrassment. Then he felt she was getting stressed to a whole new level, and she worried for her pregnancy.

Beast Boy dropped the boxes, as instinct to protect her overruled logic, became his Tyrannosaurus Rex form, and roared out as loud as he could. He lowered his muzzle after that and snorted dangerously close to one reporter's face with a throaty snarl of warning. That sent the crowd scattering back with surprise. Jericho stood up with Ambrosia, and now Beast Boy became a massive dragon. He let them on his back, and he snarled at the others as though daring them to approach.

"We'll meet you at the Tower," Robin nodded. Beast Boy rumbled and lifted himself into the air carefully to keep his friends on his back. Beast Boy never really used wings on his back before, and he found the exercise rather invigorating. He recalled flying as a gryphon now, and he realized the sensation was the same. He simply lacked feathers. The other dragons he became never needed a reason to fly. When he landed, he let them off and reverted back to human.

"What did I miss back there?!" Beast Boy growled.

"Reporters. Who else?" Jericho frowned. "I'm sure they'll be here, too."

"I'll scare them away!" he muttered. Ambrosia just sighed, and Beast Boy snuggled into her side to comfort her. She smiled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Thank you," she beamed. He grinned and blinked at the kiss to his forehead.

"I like that reward..." he swooned and fell flat on his back. She giggled, and Jericho chuckled. Then he whispered to her, and she blushed with a hand to her mouth.

"Why not?" Jericho grinned.

"Beast Boy?" Ambrosia asked and knelt down to him.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Would you like another kiss?" she smiled. He seemed to gape at her and blink.

"Um...I think I'm good!" he chuckled. As he moved to sit up, she moved her face to meet his to kiss him solidly. That made him fall flat on his back and pass out with bliss. Jericho laughed, and Ambrosia stood up. They looked over, as a helicopter started to make its way towards them. He scowled, and Beast Boy was quick to wake up from his stupor.

"Inside!" Jericho growled. They moved into the Tower quickly, and he grabbed his communicator. He contacted Robin quickly.

"Jericho?" Robin frowned.

"Helicopters outside the Tower!" he snarled.

"Cyborg, step on it!" Robin ordered.

"Roger!" Cyborg nodded. Raven let her shadows take her away so she could help assist at the Tower. Starfire frowned, and Robin looked at her.

"Fly to the Tower! Protect it! Find out what that helicopter is all about!" Robin said.

"I understand!" Starfire nodded and flew out the sun roof. Robin moved into the front seat, as Cyborg hit the gas. As they peeled over the roads, Starfire and Raven intervened the helicopter.

"Land! Now!" Raven hissed, as her eyes glowed white. The pilot needed no further convincing. When he landed at the base of the Tower, Robin and Cyborg had just pulled up.

"What are you doing so close to the Tower?!" Robin demanded. "Do you want to knock it down?! There's a reason that no flybys are to be done around it!"

"I was trying to do my job and get a scoop on the new Titan!" the reporter growled, as he stepped out of the helicopter. He was wearing a gray bowler's hat and a three-piece suit to show his profession.

"If you need information, you come to me!" Robin said. "All I will tell you is that her name is Ambrosia, and she has the power to work with plants. That's all she does. She's a valuable ally, and a strong member of our team. If you can't accept that, tough luck! She's also married to Jericho! They've been married for a month, and she's pregnant. Go ahead and stress her out. I'm sure her husband will appreciate it! I know I don't!"

"A pregnant lady?! Ah, well, I don't wanna stress out the little lady, then. I'll wait until the kid is born. Gotta be, what? Eight months away? I'll make sure to get the scoop through other means," the reporter smirked. Then he looked up with shock, as Beast Boy landed in his dragon form to roar at him.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire gaped.

"Yo, BB! Calm down!" Cyborg sighed. "Sorry. He heard about the Renaissance Festival coming up, and he got excited! Right?!"

"Yeah. Sure," Beast Boy mumbled after he shifted back. "Maybe I'll learn how to breathe fire, too! That would actually be kinda cool!"

"No, it wouldn't!" Cyborg scowled. "You already blow things up by touching them! Oh, that reminds me, how much sensitive equipment do you have on you?"

"Why?" the reporter frowned. Beast Boy beamed, turned into a monkey, and started to go through the man's clothes as various animals. He easily locked up the camera, jammed up the recorder, and bit the microphone in half. Robin found himself grinning wickedly.

"Oh, no reason. Good boy!" Cyborg grinned at Beast Boy, as he coughed out the other half of the microphone. The reporter was livid now. He had to pay for the equipment out of pocket.

"I'll sue you!" the reporter spat. Then he found himself levitated by shadows. Starfire was glaring at him, as she hovered with glowing green eyes, but it was Raven that approached him.

"Sure. Sue us. Have someone else defend your precious city. Hmm?" Raven frowned.

"Ah...I mean...have a nice day!" the reporter stammered with a nervous grin. He was released, and Raven stepped away from him with a small frown. When he turned around, Jericho was standing there, and his green eyes were the last thing he saw as he fell unconscious. The same thing was done to the pilot. Jericho muttered after it was done and went back into the Tower. Beast Boy followed to help with Ambrosia and to make sure she was all right.

"Problem solved. Get their junk away from our Tower!" Robin growled. Raven and Starfire started to do just that. Cyborg stopped them.

"Hold up," Cyborg frowned. He checked through the helicopter and removed the video feed that was recording everything. Robin came back over, placed a clear moon crystal into a side window panel of the helicopter, and then he nodded with a smirk.

"They watch us? We watch them!" he grinned. Cyborg laughed, and Raven nodded, as she used her shadows to take away the helicopter. Starfire helped by carrying the men away. He moved inside the Tower and headed up to where Jericho was with Ambrosia. Beast Boy was curled up against her side with his eyes closed in contentment. Even Silkie was in her lap to keep her company. Robin was amused that Beast Boy didn't even bother to shift into an animal form. He was simply curled up against her, and he was completely calm.

"Anything of interest?" Jericho asked.

"The helicopter has a clear moon stone in it," Robin grinned.

"Good. I'll add it to my ever-growing list of crystals to look through," Jericho chuckled.

"The men that were in the helicopter will be dropped off near the police station. Permanent glamour, right?" he asked. Jericho nodded, and Silkie seemed to sigh, as Ambrosia ran a hand along his back. He rolled onto his belly to get pet there, and he stretched out happily. She chuckled, and Jericho ran a hand over her belly to feel the vivid movement within. He noticed that Beast Boy was sleeping now, and Silkie was doing the same thing. "I understand Silkie, but why Beast Boy?"

"He needs to be kept calm," she sighed, as she kept her hand in his hair. "Didn't you see how...protective he got over me? I was getting scared, and he felt it. So, I need to keep myself calm. He'll be fine when he wakes up."

"Hey, guys and gal!" Cyborg grinned. Then he looked at Beast Boy and blinked. "He's sleeping like that? Okay. Weird!"

"I'm just keeping him calm," she said. He chuckled and then blinked with a wicked grin.

"Oh! You are so gonna hate me, and so is BB, but I  _have_  to do this to get even with him from those tofu waffles! You'll let me play a small food prank, right?" he grinned.

"As long as I do not have to eat any of it," Ambrosia nodded. Raven and Starfire walked in, and Robin moved over to them to whisper. They started to snicker and kept out of the way. Cyborg cooked up a large steak, and, while it was still sizzling, moved it over to Beast Boy's sleeping face.

"Rise and shine! Come and eat!" Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy blinked awake, saw the steak, shrieked, and fell backwards off the couch. Everyone died laughing, and Silkie ended up eating the steak with one, gigantic bite. That had them laughing even more at the look on Cyborg's face. "Hey! That was my lunch! What have you got to say for yourself?!"

Silkie belched massively in his face and give a bit of a chittering grin. Robin was on the floor dying. Raven and Starfire were holding in their guts. Jericho was completely helpless, and Ambrosia was laughing out her tinkling, bell-like sound.

" _DUDE!_ " Beast Boy squealed with rage and jumped on him. "That was not cool!"

"I was getting you back for the waffles, you green pip-squeak!" Cyborg scowled and yanked him off his back. "I don't need a monkey on my back!"

"How about a four-ton elephant?!" Beast Boy growled. "Oh. Better yet, a blue whale?!"

"Beast Boy, you have to admit! It was funny," Ambrosia giggled.

"It...made you happy?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Oh, yes!" she nodded.

"Then I'm fine with it," he grinned and snuggled against her again to yawn and stretch.

"Wait, what?!" Cyborg gaped. Robin was nearly passed out on the floor, and Jericho was groaning and wiping away tears. When the laughter finally died down, it was only then that the communicator on Robin's belt was heard. He answered it and saw a robbery was taking place.

"We have work to do. A robbery is happening right now. Titans! Let's go!" Robin said.

"We'll wait here," Jericho nodded, as he squeezed his wife. Ambrosia pet Beast Boy's head again, and he moved to run off with the others. Silkie sighed and remained in her lap. She smiled, and Jericho was content to simply hold her. Their eyes closed, and they rested like that in a rare state of bliss. He opened his eyes and thought. He nudged her gently.

"Darling?" she frowned.

"Can you conjure up an Elven flute for me?" he smiled. She blinked and smiled at him. Holding out her hands, she whispered the words she needed for a slender, silver flute to appear. He took it from her and put it to his lips to play. Jericho didn't know how to do this, but Tintagel did. He always loved to play the flute. Silkie was gently set on the couch, and she got up. Focusing slightly, her modern clothing became a light, billowing dress of soft pink. It flowed around her body to mold and move as though wind was around her. As he played, she danced for him. It was a graceful, artful dance resembling a mix of slow ballet and finesse balance. When he played faster, she moved faster. As he played slower, her movements went slower. This lasted all the way until the others got back from a job well done. Beast Boy heard the flute playing first and made gestures for them to be quiet.

"Hear that?" he asked.

"It's...no way!" Robin breathed and moved quickly into the main room. His jaw dropped at the dancing that Ambrosia was doing.  _She was a contortionist!_

"How can she bend like that?!" Cyborg gaped. Jericho was enthralled in making her dance. They used to do this for hours at a time, and Esmiralda would never get tired of it. It was at the sound of their voices that made the dance stop abruptly, and Ambrosia found herself blushing.

"Um..." she paused. Jericho put the flute away and stood up to hug her tight.

" _You still dance beautifully,_ " Jericho smiled and kissed her temple.

" _And you still play wonderfully,_ " she blushed back, as she leaned into him. " _I missed it._ "

" _As did I,_ " he chuckled and ran a hand over her back.

" _Esmiralda,_ " Robin said with a soft smile.

" _Elvey,_ " she smiled back. " _Was the robbery prevented?_ "

" _Yes. Everyone worked together,_ " he nodded.

" _Good. What happens now?_ " she asked.

" _I'm not sure. I'll let them decide,_ " he grinned.

"Robin," Starfire frowned. He looked at her and gave her the warm smile she never got tired of seeing. She didn't like seeing him looking at another that way, and it didn't help knowing that it wasn't him doing it. It was still his body being used, and it stung slightly.

"I should go," Ambrosia frowned.

"Why?" Beast Boy asked.

"Because..." she said and turned to look out the window. "I interfere with too many lives."

"You can't leave," Robin said to her now. "At least not yet."

"Why?" she asked.

"We...need to try to get some nectar from you," he said.

"Nectar? Oh..." she blinked.

"It's important. That gun that messed up Beast Boy homes in on any non-human genetic DNA. You cured him. We need to protect the others, if other guns like that one are out there," Cyborg said.

"I see. You know how it must be taken from me, then," she frowned.

"We know," Jericho nodded. "Starfire, Robin will need to kiss her to get the nectar. We'd have Beast Boy do it, but he might swallow it."

"What?! Okay...maybe you're right," Beast Boy sighed.

"Well, if it is to extract what will be needed to help us," Starfire sighed.

"Remember, Star. I love you," Robin smiled.

"I know," she nodded. She knew he held her very close to his heart, but she still felt upset at the same time. Raven put a hand on her arm.

"Starfire, you know this isn't easy," Raven frowned. "But, this is needed. The last thing we need is for you to go through the same thing that Beast Boy did. Right?"

"True," Starfire nodded. "It would not be wise."

"We need to be prepared," Robin said. "You...don't have to see it. If you don't want to."

"I want to see what happens," Starfire nodded again.

"All right. Let's go to Cyborg's work station," Jericho said. Ambrosia didn't want to hurt anyone, and Starfire knew this.  _She wanted to leave their lives alone, but it was impossible._

"Ambrosia," Starfire said softly. "you are still a valued friend. I know that...none of this is of your doing. It is all right."

"I know. It hurts me to see that so many have to do things that hurt others all around. I wish it was not so. I truly do," she trembled. Jericho hugged her to him with a sigh. As they started to walk off, Robin growled to himself.  _I refuse to let Ambrosia leave my life now. I can't let that happen. I'll fight with everything I have to keep her in my life._ He refocused his thoughts and walked over to Cyborg's room. There was a carefully constructed lab in here, and a jar was set up to receive the nectar.

"Okay, where's Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm here," he said, as he walked over. Starfire and Raven sat down in chairs, and Beast Boy watched curiously. Jericho kept a wary glance over everything.

"Let's see what you can get from her. Go ahead," Cyborg nodded. Robin sighed, walked up to Ambrosia, and saw her face. She seemed to frown.

"It's all right. This is to help the Titans. Right?" he smiled.

"I know," she nodded. He drew her close and kissed her.  _The honey was there, but it wasn't the nectar we needed._  He frowned and pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Jericho asked.

"It's not there," Robin said. "I think it's because it's not needed. Only when it's needed will she provide it. Her mouth does taste like honey, but that's the way she is."

"Then, you need to be hurt?" Jericho grinned wickedly.

"Hey!" Robin growled.

"I am sorry," Ambrosia sighed.

"It's not your fault," Jericho smiled and hugged her.

"Well, how are we supposed to get it?" Beast Boy frowned.

"I have an idea," Jericho mused. "Robin. How did you feel when you were away from her for two weeks? Don't say anything. Just feel it."

"Okay," he frowned. As he remembered, a slow ache came to him. The feeling of crushing despair without her filled his mind. His body ached for the need to taste her.  _To get my fill of her._  His craving for her nectar returned with a vengeance. He gasped and clutched a hand to his chest, as he started to shake and sweat. Raven watched everything with shock.  _What was wrong with him?!_ Beast Boy was cringing at the pain Robin seemed to be going through, but he saw this before when he had Elvey take over to help him. Starfire was clearly confused as to why Robin was in so much pain. Cyborg was surprised. He had never seen Robin act like this before. He always hid this from them. Now they were seeing the craving he suffered from in full.

"Good. Now kiss her, but don't swallow what she gives you. Spit it into the jar. After it's full, or as much as you can help with, give your body what it craves. Do this now!" Jericho said sternly.

"Craves?!" Starfire gasped.

"Yeah. Her nectar is like a drug to him. If he doesn't get it in his system every now and then, he gets like this. He was able to fight it for two weeks, but it nearly killed him. It's not like that with me, but with him..." Beast Boy sighed. "I'm pretty sure that, if she left us, he'd be in a lot of pain. A world of pain. He'd probably try to find her again."

"And you're right," Jericho sighed. Robin refocused himself and kissed Ambrosia. This time, he tasted the nectar. It filled his mouth, and he wanted to swallow it, but he forced the urge back. He turned quickly to spit it out into the jar. As the others gasped at the color of it, Robin continued to kiss Ambrosia and transfer the nectar until the jar was over half full. He couldn't reject the nectar anymore, and he kissed her hard to swallow what his body ached for. Only after he got several mouthfuls down was he able to gasp with relief and shake his head. Jericho pulled her close and looked at the glowing, golden yellow substance that was revealed. Cyborg had no idea that Ambrosia was able to produce this.

"Okay," Cyborg muttered and stuck in a stirring stick. As he pulled it out, the nectar clung like warm honey. It smelled like honey, too, but it was a denser, richer scent. _It was full of life._

"The nectar of the gods. The true ambrosia. Incredible," Raven said with wide eyes.

"I'll work with what's here. It should be enough," Cyborg said. "You okay, Robin?"

"I am now," he said, as he took a deep breath.

"She made that? To heal with?!" Starfire blinked.

"Yes. You could say that, well, this is liquid life," Jericho smiled. Ambrosia was clearly in shock, but now she was shivering. She turned from the others and walked away. She was weakened, but now she was incredibly upset about everything.

"Ambrosia?!" Robin frowned.

"I was told to protect myself from evil. Mother...she knew why and didn't tell me!" she cringed. Then she screamed, "SHE KNEW WHY AND SAID NOTHING!"

"Ambrosia!" Jericho said, and he found himself blocked off by a wall of spines by Beast Boy in a porcupine form, but then he shifted into a tiger to snarl and swipe them back. He was reacting to her powerful empathy to help her. The others were gaping in shock at what was happening.

"Beast Boy!" Starfire gasped. She got a snarling hiss of warning as a response.

"My whole life...was it a lie?!" Ambrosia gasped, as she collapsed to her knees to hug herself. "What...am I...? What is my purpose?! Others knew what I was...but I had no idea...about myself..."

"Ambrosia, darling...please..." Jericho whispered. "I am your husband! Let me be with you..."

"Jericho..." she whimpered, and Beast Boy finally let him pass. He knelt at her side to hug her and let her sob against his neck. "Why...did no one say anything...?"

"I don't know," he said, as he rocked her. "She said nothing to Tintagel. She said nothing to Elvey. She must have known in a vision. She wanted to keep you safe. If other Fae found out, I'm sure they either would have kept you for their own reasons, or tried to kill you to keep the knowledge hidden. Sinlus knew. The moment he saw you at that gala, he knew. He smelled it on you. The essence of pure life. The ability to heal more than anyone. He never saw you until you appeared at the gala, but he learned about you. You became a target just by revealing yourself. But, you're not alone now, love! I won't let anything touch you!"

"Jericho..." she sighed, and he hugged her close. As much as Starfire wanted to be mad about Robin kissing her, she realized that Ambrosia was clearly struggling within herself.  _She had no idea what her real identity was supposed to be. She was terrified of the shocking knowledge of what she could do._

"It's okay now," Jericho whispered, as he rocked her. "It's okay..."

"Is it?" Ambrosia frowned. "Sinlus is still out there. He's waiting for me. If he's waiting for me, then the Unseelie Court is, too. I'm sure they want me dead now. I can no longer be at their whim, because of my marriage to you. Maybe I should find a way to end my life."

" _NO!_ " Robin shouted now. " _I refuse to let you make the same mistake that I did long ago!_ "

"Father...I..." she gasped, and now Robin danced past Beast Boy expertly, as he moved to kneel down and crush her to his chest. When that happened, Beast Boy reverted to human form to watch them.

"Nothing  _will touch you! Not if I can help it!_ " he seethed. " _Essi was wrong to hide your ability, but she did it to protect you! You have powerful friends and allies now! Far more powerful than any Fae! Don't think for a second that you won't be watched over!_ "

"He's right," Beast Boy said, as he knelt down to gaze at her. "Trust us. It's all we can ask."

"You do have three High Warlocks ready to strike out at your whim...Your Majesty," Raven chuckled. "Remember. You are a Queen of the Fae now. Many would be idiots to try and harm you."

"Raven and Robe are right," Jericho nodded. "As I am a King of the Fae and your husband."

"You all speak truthfully," Ambrosia sighed. "I just worry now. My entire life...I was shielded and protected. All up until my wedding day when I got trapped away by Sinlus. I know the same thing will not happen now, but it could be something different. I am in a world where magic is not supposed to exist. Where the Fae are myth, and I should not be able to survive in this world of technology. All knowledge of us are in fairy tale books and in legends. It's...so hard to accept! I did not have a thousand years to adjust. To adapt. To change..."

"And that is where we shall hit the Fae generation hard," Jericho grinned. "We will remind them of what being a true Fae is like!"

"And we'll help!" Robin nodded.

"Jericho, love...are we the only two royal Fae left that you can see?" she asked.

"It hurts me to say this, but I think we are. Our crowns...there are others, but none like ours. If we are seen with soul-mated crowns at the gala, the others will either praise us or plan our destruction for getting in their way. Fae have become much like humans now," Jericho sighed. "I think we are the last of the true bloodline, as well, save for any that survived the last thousand years."

"A pity. Ancient traditions were forced to become lost. Maybe it was a good thing I was locked away, then. To become an ancient reminder of how the past was. To remind others of what being true royalty meant. I suppose," she whispered.

"That is one way to look at it," Robin nodded. "Anyways, what do you want to do now? The day is still young. We could do something else."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Oh! We could see that zombie movie that's out!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Zombie movie?" Ambrosia blinked.

"No," Jericho said flatly. "I will not have my wife exposed to some cliché horror flick!"

"But, it's a remade classic!" Beast Boy frowned.

"No," Jericho said again.

"What's a zombie?" she asked.

"A zombie is when the dead come back to attack the living! Not being reborn, but, think of a walking corpse coming to eat your brains!" Beast Boy said with a fanged grin.

"Ah. I believe I shall agree with my husband," she smiled.

"Thanks," Raven smirked. "I don't want to waste three hours of my life."

"What?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"How about a showing of laughter?" Starfire asked.

"A comedy? Now that's an idea!" Robin grinned.

"You guys can watch the movie. I have work to do," Cyborg nodded. Robin nodded, and he rose up to his feet. Jericho helped Ambrosia to hers, and Beast Boy looked depressed. Starfire was already going through the movies they had, and Raven started to make a batch of popcorn. Jericho was able to make use of a reclining couch to relax on it with his wife.

"I would like to try something later today," Ambrosia smiled.

"What's that?" Jericho grinned. She whispered to him and he gaped. He looked at her now with complete love and amazement. "We'll do that! After the movie."

"Okay," she beamed. He held her close to enjoy the feel of her pressing against him and sighed.

" _You know, Elvey was as skilled with the flute as I was. Jericho could go back to playing the guitar,_ " he mused. " _It would probably be better._ "

"Whatever you want, dear," she said softly. He knew she was exhausted from giving over the nectar. Robin looked over from where he sat with Starfire and noticed she was already asleep.

"Sleeping?" Beast Boy frowned.

"It's fine. Just play the movie," Jericho chuckled. She woke up a few times throughout the movie, but had fallen back to sleep after several minutes of watching it. When it ended, she was still sleeping, and it was hard not to make too much noise.

"Is she all right?" Robin frowned. "We were laughing pretty hard, and she didn't even wake up!"

" _She's fine. She hasn't slept that much. Normally, Fae don't need sleep, but, she's pregnant. The rules seem to adjust differently. Remember? Esmiralda slept through an argument from most of her kids without a single wince!_ " Jericho grinned.

"True. So, what now?" he asked.

"Get the Grymphyre from the small castle, and get my guitar. I'll let you have the flute she made for me. She wanted to try something," Jericho nodded. At that, the flute was given over.

"Oh? All right. I'll be right back!" Robin said. He looked over the crystals and decided to track down Herald to get them charged back up. He pocketed the flute and left. The others gossiped about the movie, and Beast Boy was clearly getting bored. He moved over to Ambrosia to snuggle into her, and she moved a hand through his hair in sleep. He gave out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes.

"Hmm," Jericho frowned. "Beast Boy? Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I'm good," he said.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked him.

"She's keeping me from feeling bored," he said.

"Never mind. If she can do that to you, then I won't complain," she smirked. That made her get a glare from him, and he made a face at her. She scowled at him, but didn't want to wake up Ambrosia.

"I'm at a safe point! Base!" he grinned. At that, Ambrosia woke with a stretch and a yawn.

"I missed the movie, didn't I?" she frowned.

"You did. But, you needed to sleep more. It's fine. Movies can be watched again," Jericho smiled and kissed her temple. "Don't worry about it."

"Okay," she nodded. "Where is Robin?"

"He's getting some instruments," he said. That made her smile, and she leaned back into him again. Then she thought and conjured up her bag. She pulled out her harp, and Beast Boy squealed.

"You're going to play?!" he gasped.

"Yes," she nodded. Jericho smiled and watched Raven and Starfire settle to sit down. Very carefully, she started to pluck the strings of her silver harp. A gentle melody started to form, and Starfire gasped at how beautiful it was. Even Cyborg was drawn out of his room to listen. At the sound of a flute joining her harp, she looked over to find Robin playing it. A guitar was carefully kicked over with precise precision, and Jericho caught it. He started to play with them now. The tune that formed was ancient and old. It was filled with astonishing beauty and gave a peaceful calm to them all.

"Now that was awesome!" Cyborg grinned.

"Check this out," Robin smirked and gave the Grymphyre to Ambrosia. The others blinked at this instrument, and the harp was set aside. Jericho got on the section that resembled a guitar, and Robin took up another part for the base beat. Ambrosia started off with a light tune, and the other two joined in. They were careful to keep the tricky strings away from each other. The tune they made was incredibly gentle and soothing to the ears.

"There appears to be room for others to play," Beast Boy grinned.

"Want to be the percussion part?" Ambrosia grinned. "Just work on the long part up high that has strings. As you tap them down, it makes a light tapping beat."

"Oh! I get it!" he grinned, as he worked it into the tune. He was actually mimicking what her thoughts were showing him. He didn't even realize it was happening. It would prove useful later on.

"May I partake in this?" Starfire asked.

"Of course! Strum on the long part next to me. No need to pluck. Just strum gently. Like that!" she nodded. Starfire gasped with happiness. "Raven, you could pluck on the two strings next to her strumming. See?"

"I do. Interesting!" Raven smiled. "My robe has never seen a true Grymphyre before. It is impressed. Is there anything for Cyborg to do?"

"He could make sure that airflow moves through the instrument. Otherwise, there are more strings he can pluck next to Robin. Oh, be careful! The strings will tangle easily!" Ambrosia winced.

"Kinda close quarters, eh?" Cyborg grinned. "Think we can make a larger one?"

"Any larger and the sound will change. It could be possible for deeper notes," Ambrosia nodded.

"You ever heard of an electric guitar?" Cyborg asked.

"Ah...I don't think so," she admitted.

"Okay, Cyborg. Go ahead and make one later," Robin chuckled.

"I don't have any books on instruments. I'll make sure to get one when we go to town," Raven said. "Maybe a few others, too."

"Okay," Ambrosia smiled. As the Grymphyre was set aside, she stood up to stretch and look out the window again. Then she moved up to the roof. Jericho frowned and got up to follow her. When the others did, it was to a surprise at what they saw. She was still in her flowing dress, and she was dancing with perfect balance on the railing she sat on earlier in the day.

"Wow," Robin said.

"This is nothing. Wait until it's a full moon," Jericho said. That made his jaw drop.

"It's a full moon now in Ireland," Raven mused. At this, Ambrosia gasped and looked at Jericho with delight. He laughed and nodded to her.

"Want to see something rare?" Jericho asked them.

"Titans?" Robin grinned.

"I can take a break," Cyborg nodded. Beast Boy was all for it, and Starfire was curious. Jericho whispered a word of power, and they all found themselves outside the ancient hill. The full moon was bathing it with a soft, silvery light, and Ambrosia focused. Her dress color went from soft pink to pale blue. She moved up to the top of the hill and now she started to dance elegantly. Jericho gasped and blinked. _It wasn't just a walk in the garden when Tintagel first saw her. Esmiralda was dancing exactly like this. She was twirling out her sadness and dancing out her grief. It was how he knew she was upset, and he had never seen another Fae do such a thing before. It was a dancing Fae princess that caught his heart._ Ambrosia was dancing for the pure joy of dancing, and it was far more fantastic and mystical to watch.

She gave a tug to her hair to let it all flow free, as her dancing took on a far more desperate turn, yet it was slow and exceptionally graceful. A sharp wind kicked up and blew back against her. As she danced, her crown was able to charge. She shimmered and seemed to be floating with how light she was on her feet. When she finished dancing, she fell to her knees with exhaustion, but she was giggling softly.

"Whoa..." Beast Boy said.

"Ditto," Raven said.

"Amazing!" Starfire gasped and clapped her hands.

"Really pretty," Cyborg chuckled. Robin was simply speechless. No longer was his life entangled in the webs of the Fae world. He was ensnared, sucked in, and he never wanted to break free. Jericho looked at him with a sigh and walked up the hill to slowly raise her to her feet. At her soft smile, they started to dance under the light of the moon. The dance they created now was loving, elegant, and passionate. It rivaled and eventually equaled the dance she had with Robin. To see two Fae of royal status dancing in the moonlight was something incredibly rare to see by those that were not of the Fae Realm. It was mystifying, exciting, and memorable to behold.

"Something's missing," Beast Boy thought. Then he squeaked and shifted into his unicorn form. He trotted up to them and snorted. Jericho grinned, set his wife on his back, and he hauled himself up to join her. Now Beast Boy reared and brayed out loudly in a playful way. When he landed on all fours and snorted, he got a fond pat to his neck.

"Now  _that_  looks awesome!" Cyborg laughed. Beast Boy nodded and suddenly swerved his head to something he saw. He turned his body and flicked his slender tail.

"Beast Boy?" Jericho frowned. He lowered his head to point with his horn. Jericho looked over and snarled out with hatred. Ambrosia gasped at who stood out in the fields of grass. Robin smirked and moved swiftly, his dancing steps neatly moving behind Orin's stunned body. Elvey was clearly in control.

" _Why did you come back?_ " Robin asked with a teasing, cold chuckle.

"I...um..." Orin tensed. The cold chuckle froze him up with solid fear.

"Invitations to the gala were not given out yet," Jericho frowned, as he held his wife. Orin's eyes were on her. She frowned, and Jericho pressed his crown to hers to let the blue light shimmer and flare out.  _Soul-mated crowns._  Orin cringed.  _There were no other soul-mated crowns left in existence. Except for these two._ Beast Boy brayed his irritation and pawed a hoof as though ready to charge him down.

"Wait!" Orin pleaded. Then he blinked when Raven's robe turned black.  _A High Warlock! They still existed?!_ Starfire's eyes glowed green, and now she hovered in the air. Her hands started to glow green to show she was ready to attack. Cyborg charged up his gun and pointed it at him.

"Orin," Ambrosia frowned, as Jericho held her close. "You filthy, disgusting pile of..."

"Hush," Jericho grinned and kissed her cheek. "He claims to have regretted what he did. But, I want to know why he came back."

She frowned at him and pressed into his chest, as his arms wrapped around her protectively.

" _Yes. Please. Amuse me,_ " Robin muttered in a dangerously soft voice. His pole now dug into Orin's spine, and the Fae man jumped. He had forgotten that Robin was behind him.

"How did you all see me?!" Orin asked.

"Queen Ambrosia gave us strands of her hair," Raven said with a smirk. The hill lifted up, and Herald appeared with Jinx in their robes to show their High Warlock status.  _Three High Warlocks?!_  Orin was gaping and now in serious trouble if they found him as a threat.

"Who's he?" Jinx frowned. Her robe let her see the Fae man easily.

"A troublemaker from the past," Jericho frowned. Beast Boy nickered and snorted, his white eyes narrowed with rage.

"How can a unicorn exist?! They became lost! Extinct!" Orin whispered with amazement. Then Beast Boy turned his head to wink at Jericho. He nodded and braced himself with Ambrosia. The unicorn became a massive dragon. When the slender, toothy muzzle moved inches in front of Orin's face, he roared. Robin darted out of the way, as Orin stumbled onto his back. Robin was laughing now.

"You need a breath mint, BB!" Cyborg muttered, as he made a face. A scaly tail came around to rat-tail his butt, and Cyborg winced. "You'll pay for that!"

Beast Boy gave out a rumbling chuckle and turned his attention back to Orin. Raven and Jinx snickered, and Starfire landed next to Robin with her arms crossed over her chest.

"The creatures of old...but...how...?!" Orin gasped.

"Beast Boy? Care to introduce yourself?" Robin smirked. Jericho and Ambrosia were dropped off gently, and he reverted to human form.

"Hi, dude. Nice to meet you. Not!" Beast Boy scowled.

"You can become those creatures?!" Orin gaped.

"Uh...duh? Yeah? I just did?" he rolled his eyes. "What a dork!"

"He freed me from the first part of my curse," Ambrosia beamed at him, and Beast Boy grinned at the pat he got to the top of his spiked up green hair. "Jericho was able to see his memories, and he freed me from where I sat on a stump for so long."

"But...how did Sinlus catch you?" Orin frowned and sat up.

"He cursed her. Sucked her into a black box at his side," Jericho frowned. "We told you this before. Don't you ever pay attention?!"

"So, that's why he would let none handle it! He always called it his 'precious box of secrets'. If one of us tried to take it from him, he'd become enraged and vanish away," Orin blinked.

"Is that so?" Robin muttered.

"We thought we would destroy it, but none of us could ever get it out of his reach," Orin said.

"Destroy it?! With her in it?" Jericho gaped.

"We didn't know she was in it! He had killed all witnesses, apparently," Orin cringed.

" _If you destroyed that box with her in it, she would have died!_ " Robin snarled. Ambrosia shivered, and Jericho held her close.

"What do we do with him, Your Majesty?" Raven asked. Her robe was advising her on how to act right now. Robin chuckled and glared at Orin.

"Where do you live, Orin?" Ambrosia asked.

"I have no home, currently. Sinlus...he was attacking castles and cities when he could. With the Laughing Battle Mage and the Silent Death gone, there was none strong enough to oppose him. When he didn't show up after this past month, we started to carefully rebuild and reclaim what we lost. Things have been quiet," Orin admitted. "What did happen to Sinlus?"

"His body was destroyed by the Unseelie Court, and his soul was taken back into their embrace," Jericho said. "I called down the Will of Judgment on him."

" _His soul still tries to be free,_ " Robin frowned. " _If he shows up, I'll obliterate him._ "

"I know how to make an Unseelie Soul suffer now," Raven grinned wickedly.

"Really? Now that would be nice to do," Jericho grinned back.

"I will need to inform the others of his death. I'll spread word about the gala. Moon crystals are hard to find, though. It's been a long time since any have been harvested," Orin started. Jericho started laughing, and Robin smirked.

"Jinx, contact Kid Flash and Mas y Menos to bring what they have, please," Raven chuckled.

"We know how to harvest the crystals. And I know how to charge them," Herald grinned.

"What?!" Orin gaped. Jinx was giggling, as she talked through the communicator.

"I had learned of the knowledge long ago," Ambrosia shrugged. "Since my capture made me ageless, all of my memories are still fresh. I have not aged a day since my ruined wedding night."

"I...I see," Orin frowned. "And Jericho..."

" _King_  Jericho," he growled, as he held his wife.

"Is my husband. He wears Aelfric's crown, does he not? He is a royal Fae, like myself. He is a King. Whether you like it or not. Our soul-mated crowns have also made him a pureblood," Ambrosia frowned. "I still see you as a traitor. Someone I cannot trust despite how much you say you have changed. You have tarnished your reputation with me."

Beast Boy growled, but she kept a hand in his hair. She was trying to keep her empathy in check.

"Well, I guess it's safe to say that I still see you as the beautiful Fae girl from long ago. One that I would have adored every day of my life," Orin said, as he looked away.

" _But, would you have loved her? Or just adored her for her beauty?_ " Robin growled.

"She was always the talk over every gathering!" Orin argued. "Ever since her beauty became known, all came to flock for her affections! In the end, it was Aelfric who was chosen to be with her."

" _Yes. My son,_ " Robin frowned.

"So...you just know that Aelfric was to be her betrothed? Nothing else about them?" Jericho asked crucially. "There was nothing else said?"

"No. Why? Is there something else?" Orin asked.

"May as well tell him. Aelfric is being reborn as my son, and no damage can come of it now," Ambrosia sighed. Robin grinned wickedly, and Jericho nodded.

"Ambrosia is the result of Tintagel, Elvey, and Esmiralda. All together," Jericho said. Orin blinked. Now he paled, and his jaw dropped.

" _Aelfric was her half-brother. And...no. She didn't know this until recently,_ " Robin said. " _Sinlus found this out. Threatened to spill the secret. Well, it doesn't matter now. Does it?_ "

"No. It doesn't..." Orin said, as he absorbed this stunning blow.

"Didn't you ever notice why my eyes resembled King Elvey's and not any others?" Ambrosia asked. "I knew most of it, but not all of it. I thought others would have made the discovery."

"There were...rumors of an illegitimate child being born. But...you also came from King Tintagel! You were fully legit, but part of King Elvey, too!" Orin gasped.

"We know," Jericho nodded.

"But...if you're him now, and you are King Elvey...and if Ambrosia is Queen Esmiralda..." Orin frowned. "Wouldn't that seem awkward?"

" _Queen_  Ambrosia," Jericho growled out. Orin grimaced and nodded.

" _We already had this discussion,_ " Robin said with boredom. " _We make due._ "

"Okay. Good. What of him?" Jinx asked curiously. As they thought of what to do about Orin, Kid Flash and Mas y Menos appeared with the largest overhaul of moon crystal harvesting that Orin had ever seen. Herald brought out his horn to make a more direct path to the moon to have them charge even faster. Orin was gaping at how powerful these humans were.  _Were they even human?!_  Robin moved to the pile after the crystals charged, and he swapped out used crystals for new ones. Beast Boy got his red crystal recharged to full strength. When the path to the moon was closed, the natural full moon light charged up what was left in its slow wake.

"To know that moon crystals can be harvested again..." Orin trembled.

"Yeah. They can," Kid Flash grinned, and Orin blinked as the incredibly fast human was now in his face. "You look stupid. I think I'm right."

"Oh, you!" Jinx giggled, and he was at her side to hug her.

" _Want to race?_ " Robin grinned.

"Sure. To where?" Kid Flash asked.

" _To the base of the hill on the other side and back. Mas y Menos can join,_ " Robin grinned. The twin brothers clasped hands and made themselves ready. Cyborg fired the racing shot in the air, and the four of them were gone. Robin made it back first, much to the surprise of the others. He wasn't even out of breath, and he was chuckling the whole time.

"What?!" Kid Flash gaped. "No way!"

"Elvey knows how to move fast," Robin grinned.

"That's not possible!" Kid Flash gaped. "Rematch!"

"Okay. Go!" Robin grinned and danced over the ground again. Kid Flash could barely keep up. The twin brothers had their jaws dropped in shock and started to shout in rapid Spanish. Ambrosia was giggling at them all when Robin was declared the winner again.

"Orin, what do you plan to do now?" Jericho asked him.

"I need to tell the others of everything. I'll make sure they wait for the invitations to the gala. Um...can I take a few moon crystals? As proof?" Orin asked.

"Take four. No blue ones. We need those," Robin said. Various colors of different sizes were selected, and Orin nodded. He saw Jericho rub a hand over Ambrosia's belly, and he remembered that she was in her second month of pregnancy now.  _Should I reveal this information to the others?_  He'd have to think about it. When he was able to use his magic to teleport away, Robin sighed.

"I know," Jericho nodded. "Great work on the moon crystals, though! We'll need a lot more. If there is a shortage in the Fae Realm, they'll be coming to us for supplies. We need a bigger stockpile of them. They'll need to be sorted and charged. Think you'll be up to the task?"

"It's easy to do now," Kid Flash nodded. Mas y Menos made agreeable tones.

"Good. Robin? What do you want to do?" Jericho asked.

"Let's go back to the Tower. We will need to tighten our defenses. Not only there, but all over."

"Agreed. Herald? Spread the word?" Jericho chuckled. Herald nodded and blew on his horn to start making the rounds. When he left, Jinx got kissed by Kid Flash before he left to harvest more crystals with Mas y Menos. She blushed and made her way back under the hill. Jericho nodded and teleported himself, Ambrosia, and the others back to the Tower.


	15. Chapter 15

When they got there, Cyborg made his way to his room to start working on various projects. Raven had to go to her room to start sorting through her books.

"Robin? What will you do?" Starfire asked.

"I'm going to look over the city. Make sure that everything is peaceful. You?" he asked.

"Um...I may nap with Silkie," she beamed. He nodded and got a kiss when she left. He blushed softly and sighed. Jericho was actually moving Ambrosia into the training room. Now Robin was curious, and Beast Boy was following her.

"What are you doing?" Robin asked.

"Going to see how much she can defend herself," Jericho grinned.

"Really?" he grinned back. "Okay. I'm game! The city should be safe enough."

"Sure, dude," Beast Boy snickered. Ambrosia walked into the oddly shaped metal room and focused for her dress to become a tight, elastic skin suit. It was deep blue, and it almost made her look like a silhouette. She fixed up her hair into several tight buns to keep it out of the way. Robin was gaping at how she looked, and Beast Boy seemed to be stuttering. Jericho had no idea as to what she was going to wear. She simply blushed and tucked a stray lock behind a pointed ear.

"Okay..." Jericho said, as he cleared his throat. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she nodded. He lunged at her, and she was already gone. She had done an expert backflip over him, grabbed his collar as she did it, and flung him away from her. Robin bolted at her next, and she blocked his attack, side-stepped, and kicked him squarely in the side to knock him away. Beast Boy became a tiger and lunged. She sighed, and he crashed to a stop in front of her to become a purring, lulling mess. She giggled and pat the top of his head.

"That's cheating!" Jericho growled.

"Is it?" she smirked. Now Beast Boy looked over, roared, and lunged at him.

"Ah...oh..." he gaped and dodged Beast Boy's attack. She swerved her body around and blocked Robin's pole with her arm. She reached underneath it to grab his arm and bent it backwards. He yelped and dropped the pole before finding himself getting launched away by a slamming jump-kick to his gut. She flipped neatly in the air and landed. Then she picked up his pole and spun it expertly.

"All of that...by reading my books?!" Robin gaped.

"Yes," she giggled. Beast Boy got thrown off of Jericho, and now he lunged at his wife. She blocked him with Robin's pole and kissed his nose. That made him laugh softly, and she winked.

"Cheater!" he smirked.

"I love you, too!" she giggled. "It's...disturbing on what I can do now."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked, as he reverted human and walked over.

"Well...I'm not supposed to be violent," she frowned.

"You aren't attacking us. We are attacking you," Robin said, and he walked over now and got his pole from her. "You are defending yourself. Martial Arts is all about self-defense. Focus. Concentration. Stamina building. Most importantly, it's about patience."

"Something you still lack," Jericho grinned.

"Shut up!" Robin growled.

"I am good with patience. I have over a thousand years' worth of it," she smiled softly. "But, now I have to wonder about something else..."

"What's that?" Beast Boy asked.

"How well do you boys fight...around distraction?" she grinned, and her suit formed a zipper in the front. Now she pulled it down halfway to give teasing exposure. Her chest was starting to slightly swell from her pregnancy, and it didn't help. All three of them dropped their jaws. She braced herself and gestured for them. Jericho lunged first, and she twirled out of his way. She neatly ducked under Robin, as he jumped for her. Then she split her legs and rolled away from Beast Boy.

"She's crazy!" Robin gasped.

"She's my wife!" Jericho grinned and lunged for her. She caught him with her feet, since she was on her back, and kicked him away. She jumped to her feet and did a perfect split before swinging her leg under him to knock him off his feet again. She crouched and jumped to the side, as Robin tried to tag her. When he looked at her, she wiggled her hips at him to tease him. He growled and lunged for her.

"Too slow," she giggled in his ear, as she twirled behind him and kicked him away again.

"Dang it!" Robin muttered. Beast Boy had to take a breather and was sitting down.

"We're going at this all wrong," Jericho sighed, as he helped Robin up. She had walked over to Beast Boy, and he was enjoying the feel of her hands in his hair.

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"She's all defense. She won't attack us. She's avoiding us," Jericho frowned.

"She can attack, but she won't."

"Right. It's in her nature. But, she can use other things to attack for her."

"Like Beast Boy. Or any animals around her."

"Right."

"Or the plants around her," Robin mused. As they conversed, Ambrosia moved to sit behind Beast Boy, and he had his eyes closed at the massage she was giving him.

"There is much that I owe you for, Beast Boy," she whispered in his ear.

"Hmm?" he asked without opening his eyes.

"You freed me. I don't know how I can ever repay you for that. You took a chance to find something that didn't exist. I still...can't believe how lucky I was...that you were there..."

"Hey," he smiled and turned to hug her. "you don't have to worry about that. Don't think of trying to repay me. As it is, you helped me by unblocking my shifting!"

"True," she smiled. "Um...dance with me?"

"Dance? Oh. Okay," he nodded. He stood up with her, and she started up a soft tune. Robin and Jericho looked over to see the dance being done with Beast Boy. Their jaws dropped. It was incredibly risqué with how close they were. He twirled her around and dipped her. On pulling her back up, he spun her around with him. When she tried to twirl away, he growled and pulled her back to him. They looked at each other and found themselves giggling.

"You danced with her?!" Jericho gaped.

"Eh...so? It was just a dance?" Beast Boy frowned.

"No. It wasn't. That was a dance of your heart and hers," Robin sighed.

"Beast Boy?" Ambrosia blinked.

"Um..." he blushed and shrugged. "I care about you, too. Is that wrong?"

"No. It isn't," she chuckled and ran a hand over his cheek. He sighed, closed his eyes, and fell to the floor in a purring daze. She giggled, and Jericho moved over to kiss her. Robin walked over and got kissed next. She sighed, and Jericho looked up with alarm.

"What is it?" Robin asked.

"Hmm. What is he doing out there?!" Jericho frowned.

"Who?" Ambrosia asked.

"An old suitor of yours from long ago. Probably there out of curiosity. Darling, do you recall someone of pale complexion, shoulder-length dark blue hair, and red eyes?" Jericho asked. "Slightly pointed ears about, oh, as tall as Beast Boy?"

"Hmm," she thought. "Alston! That's his name! From the Northern Realms, I think."

"Orin must be spreading word fast, or everyone was gathered somewhere," Jericho frowned.

"What do we do?" she frowned.

"Well, he changed his garments. From a dark red from the past to a rather intense shade of gray now. Wonder why he did that. No crown, so not a form of royalty. He was more into magical attack than physical, so he's not very strong. Pretty easy to sneak up on, if I recall. Should we pay him a visit and find out what he wants? Or let him wander around aimlessly?" Jericho asked.

"Let's bring him here," Robin grinned with amusement.

"He'll be in shock. Are you sure?" Jericho grinned back.

"Do it," Beast Boy smirked. "We  _are_  in a training room."

"Very true," Jericho snickered. Ambrosia thought and focused so that her clothes became a sleek, silver gown of royal standards. She needed to be the Queen for such meetings. Beast Boy shifted into a lion form to let her sit on his back. He purred at the feel of her hand in his mane. Robin chuckled, grabbed a moon crystal, and teleported out. When he came back with the short, slender Fae man, Alston was shouting with surprise at the sudden grab and teleport.

"Unhand me!" Alston snarled in a rather light tone of voice.

"So nice to see you, Alston," Jericho mused. Now Alston looked over and gaped at the sight of Ambrosia on the back of the green lion. Beast Boy yawned and growled.

"Easy," she soothed, and he looked up at her to purr. Her stunning, deep blue eyes focused on Alston's face, and she nodded. "Hello."

"I didn't believe what Orin said about you being alive," he breathed. "We all thought you were dead! Your family? King Tintagel? Queen Esmiralda? What became of them?"

"I am King Tintagel from his memories his crown gave me before it died," Jericho said. "However, I am truly King Jericho. Queen Ambrosia is my wife, and her mother's memories reside within her from the crown she wears. Robin, the one behind you, is Elvey. Yes. King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage. He gained Elvey's memories and all of his physical powers."

"No magic?" Alston frowned.

" _I can use moon crystals just fine. I exceed more in physical strength and endurance,_ " Robin muttered lightly, as Elvey was clearly apparent to assess the Fae. " _You're boring me. Either make me laugh, or tell me why you're snooping around._ "

"I wasn't snooping!" Alston said quickly.

"Like how you tended to snoop around in my bedroom late at night?" Ambrosia frowned. Now Beast Boy hissed and threatened to get up to swipe at him. She calmed him with a gentle caress.

"What?" Jericho blinked at this news.

"Oh. Yes. I never told Father or Mother. He...was the one who made me 'lose' my possessions. My gold brush. My favorite hand mirror. A dress at times..." she sighed. "I tried to tell you both, but you simply assumed I kept losing things. That nothing could get through the defenses. He always did. It was always when I wasn't in there, too. As though to mock me and the defenses as a whole."

"You knew it was me?!" Alston gaped. Now he swallowed at the looks Robin and Jericho gave him. "How did you know it was me?"

"You would leave a trademark strand of your hair on my pillow," she shivered. "When I touched it, you had enchanted it to crumble away. How could I not know it was you?"

"I..." he cringed.

" _You...disgusting...sniveling little...little..._ " Jericho seethed with hatred when Tintagel burst forth.

" _I'm just going to kill him now,_ " Robin muttered softly. " _Okay?_ "

"Wait!" Alston grimaced. Beast Boy reverted to human form to hold Ambrosia, and he glared at the man. He wanted to do something, but Ambrosia was holding him back. That surprised Alston.  _She had a guardian that could change into animals?!_

"It was long ago. There is nothing that can be done now," she said.

" _If you still have the items, I want them back!_ " Jericho growled out. The door suddenly opened and Cyborg came in. He paused at the sight of the new Fae, saw how livid everyone was around him, and he rose up his gun to show he was ready to fire. Robin smirked and was at Cyborg's side in just a few steps to whisper to him.

"I'm blowin' him up to pieces!" Cyborg scowled.

"No," Ambrosia said and gently touched his gun to have him lower it. He blinked at how gentle she was, and he found himself lowering his arm. "He is not worth it, Cyborg. This fight is mine alone. Alston, I am a Queen of the Fae Realm now. You may come to the gala, but, should you show any form of malice, I will personally dispose of you, myself! In fact, I'll show you how serious I am."

"What?" Alston blinked. She took three steps towards him and punched him square in the jaw to send him flying into a steel pillar. They all gaped at what she did.

"Consider that a fair trade for my belongings!" she growled. "If I recall, you stole twenty things from me. One punch in the face counts for one item! I owe you nineteen more, don't I?!"

"No! I'll return them!" Alston begged. Jericho and Robin were grinning savagely.

"I am defending my honor!" she glared, as her crown crackled with the justified blow. "Bring me back my items, and I shall apologize for striking you. Understood?!"

"Yes...ah...Your Majesty! I apologize! I'll...return your belongings!" Alston cringed. She sighed with a form of irritation, and Beast Boy became a dragon to press against her. He seethed and hissed at Alston. That made him go pale.

"Favorite form, eh?" Jericho grinned. Beast Boy gave a small nod. Ambrosia sighed again with a cringe, and Beast Boy's white eyes opened wide. He swerved his head at Alston and roared. Then he rose up his wings to cover her face and form from the others. She shivered even harder at something now, and Beast Boy seemed to squeal in pain for her. His form wrapped around her even more now as though to hide her completely from sight.

"What's that about?" Cyborg frowned.

"Beast Boy, you need to tell us what just happened!" Jericho said. Beast Boy snorted, seemed to panic, reverted back to human and crushed Ambrosia to him.

"No! No! Nothing will happen!" he said. She narrowed her eyes with a form of intense hurt, and he became his unicorn form to turn and suddenly charge at Alston. His horn was lowered and ready to jab into his heart the moment he got close enough. Alston was frozen in place, and Robin had to yank him out of harm's way. Beast Boy whinnied with irritation, swerved again, and charged. Jericho ran over to Ambrosia to hug her and whisper softly. She trembled and clung to him. Robin was actually having fun using Alston as red cape of sorts to make Beast Boy charge everywhere.

"Beast Boy," she finally whispered. He stopped mid-charge, snorted, and reverted back to human to run over to crouch down at her side. She rested a hand on his head and he sighed.

"BB, are you her slave, or something?" Cyborg asked.

"No. I just don't like her getting scared," he frowned. "I don't like it at all."

" _What were you afraid of?_ " Robin asked, as he dropped Alston to the ground carelessly.

"Orin knew I was in my second month of pregnancy. You told him, right, Jericho?" she asked.

"I did," he nodded.

"Why else would Alston be here, except to draw me away from everyone?" she asked. Now Robin and Jericho glared at the Fae man. Alston stood up tall with a sigh.

"Fine. She understood why I came out. I will not be the only one," Alston said and straightened out his grey robes. "I am only the first of many. And I am of pure Fae blood. One of the last ones, too. Apparently, she already has quite a few here to comfort her. Right?"

"I'm not one of them," Cyborg growled. "I won't be, either!"

"Maybe not. But, apparently, those two are," Alston smirked.

"Who says?!" Beast Boy growled.

"I do. From how you're guarding her. Either that, or you're too much of an animal!"

"Um, hello? My name  _is_  Beast Boy! Moron!" he growled.

"Sure. Then again, even Queen Esmiralda liked them rough," Alston smirked again.

"You sick, disgusting son of a motherless she-wolf!" Ambrosia fumed, as rage consumed her. Now Jericho and Robin looked at each other and backed away. Beast Boy took the hint and moved behind Cyborg. "My Mother was only with  _two_  men! King Elvey and my Father! How dare you slander me in front of my friends and in a place I also call my home! I will now cast my own Judgment on you!"

"I was joking! Um...I...no! Please!" Alston gaped. She was beyond mercy now, and her crown proved it. Blue light flared out, and Jericho had to move to stand at her side. Another blue light flared out from Jericho's crown, and it moved to hover next to hers. The blue lights turned into a hovering, glowing ball of energy between them, as the crowns discussed his fate. Now he saw that the crowns were truly soul-mated and getting ready to cast a Judgment.  _I'm doomed._  Once his fate was decided, the ball separated back into two to settle back into their respective crowns.

"Apparently, my crown feels...merciful," she frowned. "Your powers are blocked until I receive my stolen items back! Bring them  _all_  to the gala by tomorrow night!"

"My...powers?! NO!" Alston gasped, as a lightning bolt shot through him from the power of the crowns. He coughed and staggered weakly. "I...don't know where they all are..."

"Then your powers will be blocked for twenty years. One year for each item," she smirked. Cyborg looked at her with shock. "Bring me what you can to lower your sentence. Understood?"

"Y-yes...Your Majesty..." he whispered. He now saw that she was a Queen of the old ways.  _Such ways were forgotten._  She was a very powerful being, and word would be spread quickly about this.

"Get this pile of miserable sludge out of my sight!" she seethed. Robin grabbed Alston and teleported away with him. He was dropped off far from the Ireland castle, but near a Fae village. If it was still there or not, he wouldn't know. Nor did he care. He teleported back to Ambrosia's side to find Jericho hugging her tightly.

"Twenty years?!" Cyborg was still gaping.

"A year for an item. I think it's fair," Jericho chuckled. "Apparently, so does my crown."

"You were really a Queen with that Judgment," Robin smiled softly.

"But...that wasn't me," she shivered. "That was Mother."

"Was it?" Jericho frowned.

"I wouldn't have known what to do. She...guided me. Showed me how to stand. How to call Judgment on my own. It's not your Will of Judgment, but a Judgment of Honor, in a way. She had to defend it. My Mother was never with anyone else other than King Elvey and Father. To even think that he thought she would have been...I just...I snapped! I'm sorry," she sighed.

"No. There is no reason for you to be sorry about that," Jericho frowned. "You were justified."

"You defended yourself," Beast Boy said.

"I gotta agree. He crossed a line," Cyborg nodded.

"If he does it again, I'll pull his spine out of his mouth," Robin mused. "Play air guitar with it!"

"Ooh! Creative!" Cyborg grinned.

"Air...guitar?" Ambrosia blinked. That got them laughing.

"Hmm," Jericho thought. "You three. Scram."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked.

"I don't think this room was used for, eh, anything other than training," Jericho grinned wickedly.

"Oh, no!" Robin smirked. "You go to your bedroom for that!"

"Dude!" Cyborg grimaced. "I don't wanna have to train knowing...no! Like Robin said!"

"But, what do we do if more do show up? That want to be with her?" Beast Boy frowned.

"True. She needs to be able to defend herself more," Jericho sighed.

"Oh?" Ambrosia thought with an idea. She moved away from them all and focused. The four of them watched her and gaped. Silver heels in the form of armored boots graced her feet. It seemed to lace up her legs, over her thighs, and split into ribbons of steel that criss-crossed around her chest. Her belly was covered to protect her pregnancy, otherwise it would have been left bare. The ribbons reformed around her shoulders and down her arms. A set of small spikes rose up from her shoulders so that, if she rammed into something, it would do damage. Gauntlets covered her hands, and she reached behind herself to pull a nasty-looking sword from her back. She smirked and sunk the blade halfway into the steel floor before ripping it out to severe a free-standing pillar in half. Her turned back revealed a thin layer of mesh, yet parts of her rear was exposed slightly to maintain flexibility. Her crown shimmered with approval at this, and she gazed at the four Titans.

"How...did you...come up with...this?!" Jericho asked with a twitch.

"I got mad," she said with a stern frown. Cyborg was just gaping at her.

"So, your armor is steel. But, that's a mithril sword. Isn't it?" Jericho asked.

"Yes. I think this is all I can do. Only mithril can rend steel like nothing," she chuckled.

"But...you're not supposed to be..." Robin stammered.

"Yeah...like they said..." Beast Boy whined.

"If I get mad, I wear this. It will show that I don't have to be nice!" she smirked, and the armor melted down into her innocent silver gown. "It will make a statement!"

"You can't kill anyone!" Jericho growled.

"They don't have to know that. Do they?" she winked.

"Oh..." Jericho blinked. "I see!"

"You made a bluff," Robin grinned now.

"Ah! I gotcha!" Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy thought and whispered to her. Her armor came back, and he jumped onto her shoulder as a small dragon. A set of tiny, perch-like bumps came up for him to hold onto while she walked. That made them grin. She scratched under Beast Boy's chin and kissed the top of his head. He fluttered down and swooned, as he reverted back to human form.

"Not bad at all," Robin chuckled.

"I'm gonna go fix up some lunch," Cyborg said with a grin and walked out.

"You know what's funny?" Ambrosia mused when the door closed.

"What?" Jericho asked and helped Beast Boy to his feet. Her clothing seemed to shrink down to a small bit of white cloth tied around her waist. She wasn't wearing anything else.

"This is all I need to make my clothing!" she grinned wickedly. Jericho dropped Beast Boy, and Robin's jaw hit the floor. Jericho had no idea. None at all. She brought her dress back and started to leave, but Robin grabbed her and pulled her back to them.

"You're not going anywhere!" he muttered in her ear, and she grinned at the feel of his chest against her back. "You just opened up a whole new world to me!"

"I thought you said we needed a bedroom?" Jericho smirked.

"Quiet! I know a spot we can use in here. No one will see us or hear us," Robin grinned. Beast Boy got hauled along by Jericho.

"Can't we make...a secret room...or something?" Beast Boy grumbled.

"Where do you think we're going?" Robin chuckled. That made him blink. Robin looked around, pressed in a small panel, and a portion of the wall slid open.

"Whoa..." Beast Boy gaped.

"I had this built a long time ago. I'm surprised it's still here and that it works," Robin mused. It was a small tunnel that led them between various walls. It took them into the heart of the Tower. The rooms were designed to make it seem like they merged together, but there was one small room between the main ones that was cleverly disguised.

"This button opens out to the hallway to the main room. This one leads to my room. And this one leads to the roof," Robin said, as he pointed out the control panel. "This one is the one we just came from in the training room. Beast Boy, you have to know of this to protect Ambrosia. I don't think I can make a tunnel to your room, so, you'll have to improvise. I didn't tell anyone about this for safety reasons. We should have a room like this built in each castle."

"You're right," Jericho nodded. "I'll make one the first chance I get."

"Of course, all of the tunnels lead here," Robin said, as he pushed on wall. It opened up to a small chamber with a bed, fridge, showering facilities, and a computer. "It's the real safe house of the Tower. It's sound proof, and we can see anything around us on the computer. It's also solid steel and concrete reinforced. If something happens to the tower, this room will survive it."

"Very nice," Jericho mused. Ambrosia was simply amazed at the technology. When the door closed to the room, she turned and found Jericho pushing her onto the bed to kiss her.

"I may have to put a chess set in here," Robin grinned.

"How about a video game system?!" Beast Boy squealed.

"No. I'll put books in here," Robin chuckled.

"Aw, man!" he pouted. He looked over at the bed and blushed, as he looked away. "I'd say to get a room, but we're in one. D'oh!"

"True to that," Robin smirked. "Tell you what. Help us keep her calm, I'll see about a few games being put in here. Deal?"

"Okay. But, seriously, you can't make something from my room to here?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Ambrosia!" Jericho growled, as she shoved him away. "What...why...?"

"Calm yourself," she smiled. "I want to make this...interesting."

"Huh?" Beast Boy blinked.

"What?" Robin asked. Jericho was already partially undressed down to his pants.

"I'm going to be creative," she smiled and focused for very slender strings of laced up clothing to appear all over her body. "Who will last the longest on resisting?"

"Resisting what?" Beast Boy gaped.

"Me," she smirked, as she stood up now to stretch. She placed a foot on the bed and slowly started to unravel it, bit by bit. Inch by inch. Robin's masked eye twitched, as he saw what she was doing. Beast Boy was simply stunned. Jericho was grinding his teeth together.

"You're my wife..." he growled.

"I know," she said, as she delicately set the freed ribbon aside and started on another at her hip. Then they all blinked.  _Honey._  The scent of it teased along their senses, and Robin was cringing.

"What the hey!" Beast Boy gasped.

"You aren't playing fair!" Jericho grimaced.

"I never said that I was. Did I?" she grinned wickedly and tossed another ribbon aside. Robin looked away, and, just a short moment later, a warm ribbon landed on his shoulder. He gaped, and Jericho almost died laughing. Beast Boy became consumed by the honey scent and moved to tackle her, but she dodged him and stood on the other side of the small room to remove another ribbon and toss it at him.

"That's...not helping!" Beast Boy scowled. She started to dance around the room, as she tossed ribbons at them. It was soon down to four ribbons. One was around her waist. Two joined at each of her shoulders and down to attach to it. The last one covered between her legs. She giggled and dodged them easily. The honey scent got stronger and stronger. Robin was losing his senses now. His craving to taste her was there. He forced himself to wait until she moved close. Then he intervened, got slammed into by her, and his mouth pressed against hers. He drank everything she could give him before he could think of anything else. Jericho chuckled and sat down. Beast Boy scowled and sat in a corner to pout.

A solid twenty minutes went by. Beast Boy was about stand, but he felt a set of arms move over his shoulders. He tensed and gasped, as her hands moved up into his hair.

"What's wrong?" she whispered. He couldn't think. All he could do was whimper. "Will you help me? Will you comfort me? Will you be with me?"

"I..." he gasped, turned, and finally gave into his want for her. Another ten minutes passed, and she finally stretched and stood up to place a spare towel around her body. Jericho and Robin had covered themselves with towels and now one was given to Beast Boy.

"You...are evil..." Jericho groaned from where he was on the floor in a sitting up position.

"Very..." Robin muttered, as he was still in the bed.

"Not fair..." Beast Boy sighed. "But so worth it!"

"Am I?" she smiled. He grinned at her and shivered at a caress to his cheek.

"Totally," he whispered. She gave him a small kiss and moved to settle in Jericho's lap.

"Once a year to two years, huh?" Robin sighed.

"For a kid? Yes," Jericho nodded.

"I don't know," Ambrosia frowned.

"What?" Jericho asked.

"What do you mean?" Robin blinked. Beast Boy looked over now.

"For normal Fae women it's like that. But...I'm not a normal Fae woman," she thought.

"Hmm. Well, the pregnancy stays the same," Jericho said.

"I know. But...well...the rate I can get pregnant. I think it's different," she admitted.

"Why do you say that?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's...instinctive. I think. I...sort of think that I could get pregnant in the fall. Every six months instead of yearly. I won't even have to wait two years," she frowned.

"Are you serious?!" Jericho gaped. At her soft nod, he groaned. Robin was struck speechless. Beast Boy held his head in his hands.

"I'm going to have to hunker down with Star and see about getting married," Robin muttered.

"Dude, do you even love her anymore?" Beast Boy frowned.

"I do. That won't ever change. You can count on that! I just thought I'd have more time. That's all. And I still have to worry about those eleven tests and hope that Sinlus doesn't try to do something..."

"Hey," Ambrosia whispered, as she pressed against him. "It will be fine."

"Do you think so?" he asked and moved to tug away the towels.

"Yes," she smiled and kissed him passionately. He rolled to be on her now, and Jericho chuckled.

"So, Jericho," Beast Boy thought. "only a married guy can have kids with her?"

"That's correct," Jericho nodded. "Why?"

"Ah...no reason," he chuckled.

"Don't tell me you want kids with her..." Jericho groaned.

"Well, why not?" he frowned.

"You can't just marry anyone. You have to be in love with that person. You will need to claim a life mate for yourself. To marry just to marry would be pointless. You should marry for love. It's love that is the true binding key. You see, Elvey loved Esmiralda, but only a married Fae can make a child. Sure, any married Fae can, but, if there's no love in the marriage, why do it?"

"But, it's only to Ambrosia, right? That I wouldn't be able to make kids?"

"Right. Anyone else, no problem. It's to a Fae that it won't work."

"I thought I had someone, but she turned to stone. Then another of her appeared with memory loss, and I just...well...I let her go. I cared a lot about her. I mean, Raven is cool, like, creepy cool. But, I'm still not sure about her. It's like, we get along, but we don't."

"I know how that works," Jericho chuckled. "But, you never will know unless you talk to her."

"There was this one thing that she had. A book. It held an evil dragon in it, and she was able to talk to him. She thought he was a wizard. The dragon tricked her, and she freed him. She put him back in the book again the same way he was cursed in it, but...she had kinda fallen in love with him. He used her and hurt her. She has the book locked away now. I just...I don't want her hurt like that again. I don't want anyone to be hurt like that."

"Now that's interesting," Jericho admitted. "But, it's wrong. You were in the right. You know, I could see her being your life mate. It's a long shot, but you do seem to have some form of a connection with her. Like I said, it's a long shot, but it's a shot."

Beast Boy thought about it and mulled the idea over.  _Me and Raven?_  It seemed rather funny to him right now. He glanced at the bed, as Robin pushed himself away from Ambrosia to gasp and catch his breath. He leaned towards her to whisper softly, and she kissed him.

"Starfire is still sleeping. We still have some time," Jericho mused.

"Good," Robin muttered, as he kissed her again. He pressed his forehead against hers and trembled. She ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders to make him groan and move over again.

"Dude! Are you serious?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Shut up...Beast Boy..." Robin growled out. Ambrosia managed to giggle before he silenced her. Jericho groaned and shook his head.

"You'd better not get used to this!" Jericho muttered.

"Too late...!" Robin gasped out and rolled back to his side. "Far...too late...for that..."

"Dude, that's just wrong!" Beast Boy smirked. He looked up and gaped at Ambrosia, as her eyes held his. He shivered, as her fingers reached out to gently touch his cheek. At her slow blink, she was hauled down to be with him again.

"This is crazy!" Robin growled.

"I know," Jericho sighed. "Almost all of this is from her pregnancy, too."

"Rather her be happy than sick, right?" Robin managed to chuckle, as he draped his towel over himself. "And it's with us instead of others that we can't trust."

"True," Jericho sighed.

"Oh. Jericho, there was something that Ambrosia mentioned to me. Some time back, actually. How does a human get accepted into a marriage? Elvey doesn't really want to tell me. Can you?"

"A human...ah..." he thought. Then he paled. "No! Don't do it!"

"If it's another way to be with her, then why not?" Robin asked. Tintagel was quick voice his reasoning at this.

" _A council of Fae have to agree to it. If they do, a good portion of your blood is removed and Fae blood is filtered in. Many humans have died in this process! Their bodies couldn't handle the blood. If they did survive, they would live for extremely long lengths of time, but that's all. They would never be able to use magic. It would only be their blood. And, it would be either my blood or Ambrosia's blood that would need to be in you. It's too dangerous. Starfire loves you and you love her. Marry her. It's safer that way, and everyone will be happier in the long run,_ " Jericho said.

"I see. And, once I'm married, as much as it hurts to say this, if she passes on before me, I'd still be able to have kids with Ambrosia?"

" _Yes..._ " Jericho said grimly. " _You have to be committed until the very end. If you show any sign of wanting to leave the marriage just to leave it, you will lose the ability._ "

" _I wonder, Tintagel,_ " Robin mused, as Elvey came out. " _I was married to Aethelwyne. She died, but I still remained loyal to her. In a way, I still am loyal to her. Would there be a chance that...?_ "

" _I don't know if deceased marriages would count, since you're also dead, in a sense. You know this as well as I do,_ " Jericho grimaced. " _It would be something that we could only find out in time._ "

"Okay. Maybe after the tests are done from the Court. I'll see about it then. Sooner if nothing happens at her next pregnancy opening. Beast Boy? Are you alive?"

"Ahhh..." Beast Boy said a bit dazed, as Ambrosia kept him lulled with her scent.

"You are so mean," Jericho smirked.

"He tried to tickle me," she frowned.

"Did he really?" Robin chuckled. "Wow. I am trying to figure out why I'm craving you so much, though. I still don't understand it."

"I might have an idea," she mused.

"Oh? Do tell us," Jericho smiled.

"Well, Robin, you don't have a magical well in you. I'm starting to think that...the nectar I give could eventually give you one. The more you take, the greater the chance it could appear. I feel it would need to be a lot, though. I'm not sure, otherwise," she frowned.

"That does make sense. As though my body is craving something that I lack, and yours simply feels that I am truly missing something," he thought. "Probably from Elvey. Come here."

"Hmm?" she blinked at him and went to move, but Beast Boy held her down.

"Mine!" he growled.

"Beast Boy," Jericho warned. He whimpered and got a soft kiss of reassurance.

"You'll come back?" he asked.

"If I can, then yes," she nodded. He sighed and let her move onto the bed. Robin was quick to pull her close and hug her. Jericho would be all too happy to claim her back when the others started to look for them. Until then, he patiently waited this out.

"Give me as much nectar as you can," Robin whispered to her.

"I don't think it works that way," she frowned. "You have to really need it. Remember?"

"Oh. I think I know how," he blinked and closed his eyes. The two weeks of torment without her came back. The longing to taste her and feel her started to wrack his body. He was able to bring back his craving for her at any time just by reliving his torment. He heard her gasp, and her mouth was pressed onto his. He took in swallow after swallow of her precious nectar. He kept the memory going until he felt her shudder. She finally drew back with a painful gasp, and Jericho was at her side to hug her.

"Robin...!" Jericho grimaced. "How much...did you take from her?! She's almost...my son!"

"Here!" Beast Boy growled and tossed him the bag of moon crystals. He pressed several of them into her hands for the charges within them to get absorbed. She seemed to gasp again, but with relief, and he hugged her to him. Robin was panting and shivering.

"I think her...nectar...did something else..." Robin cringed.

"What?" Jericho frowned.

"She's suffering...now I'm suffering...I..." he coughed.

"You almost drained her, Robin," Jericho said grimly. "Don't do that again!"

"I won't," Robin agreed.

"Ambrosia?" Beast Boy asked. He blinked, as he realized she was sleeping.

"She has to recover now," Jericho sighed. "Robin, if anything else happens to you, I need to know. If she can give you a well of magic, then great. But, if you end up sharing her life-force, then that can be a serious problem! Healing magic is to be used to heal. Not like this."

"I didn't...realize it..." Robin sighed. "It won't happen...again. But, I do feel something changing. A little. Like something opened up."

"Really?" Jericho mused. "How much?"

"Not much, really. Elvey...recalls that he could easily tap into something like...water in the soul. This feels like a trickle. Just a very tiny amount," he thought.

"Ambrosia did give you something!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Apparently so. All right, so you will need more nectar. Do you think this will stop your craving for her? Or will it strengthen it?" Jericho asked.

"I won't be able to simply make this well full. She has to refill it for me. I won't tap into it until I know I have the power to do it. I'll see if it grows on its own. If not, I'll need her nectar for it," Robin nodded. "Elvey. He's relieved. He thinks that he can surprise the enemy now. We'll keep the knowledge of me only able to use moon crystals around. If push comes to shove, and if I have the inner well for it, I'll shock everyone around me with my own magic."

"All right. I should take her back home. Since she's sleeping now, I have some defenses I need to strengthen up and a ballroom to ensure will be gala friendly. We'll need to work on that treaty, too," Jericho nodded. They clasped hands, and Beast Boy put his hand over theirs. They all nodded to each other, and Jericho gathered Ambrosia up to his chest to teleport away.

"So, there's no way for a tunnel to reach my room?" Beast Boy asked. "I asked this before, but we got interrupted. Is there a way?"

"Well," Robin thought. "your room isn't next to mine. But, we can probably work on something from the window. Let's see what we can do."

"Okay," he nodded. They dressed in separate areas of the room quickly and made themselves look presentable. They managed to slip out into the main hall unseen by cameras or eyes. They casually walked down the hall to Beast Boy's room and stepped in.

"All right, let's see," Robin thought. "Do you have a computer in here?"

"Eh...me? A computer?" Beast Boy asked and started laughing.

"Right. You blow them up," Robin sighed. "This means I won't be able to see the blue prints of the Tower until everyone is sleeping. I can't really make any real adjustments until then."

"Well, maybe we should tell everyone about the safe room, if Ambrosia is going to be here," Beast Boy said. "I know you don't want that to happen, but I think it's needed. To keep her safe."

"I hate to admit it, but you're right. Weird how you're actually making sense now," he chuckled. At the knock on the door, Beast Boy opened it to find Cyborg there. He did not look happy.

"Hey! What's up?" Beast Boy grinned. He got shoved aside, and Cyborg walked up to Robin.

"You aren't telling me things about Ambrosia! What's going on?" he asked. "I thought we could trust each other! Raven just told me a few things that you never told me!"

"Like what?" Robin asked with a raised brow.

"That BB kissed her!" Cyborg growled.

"Are you saying that  _you_  wanna kiss her?" Beast Boy asked.

"Well...no..." he said.

"I didn't mean to kiss her. It just happened," Beast Boy frowned. "I was trying to see if I was immune to her. In a way, I am."

"Really?" Cyborg asked with surprise.

"Yes. It's true. So, what else do you want to know?" Robin asked.

"How did you guys suddenly appear in the hall?" he asked.

"Okay. That I can explain. Follow me," Robin said with a wave. "I was going to tell everyone, eventually. And, you'll notice the place is a bit in disarray. Jericho and Ambrosia needed a room, and that is where we are going to keep her safe, if we have to."

"Fine," Cyborg nodded. Beast Boy went to grab Raven and Starfire. He told them about the room they were going to see. Raven was stunned.  _There was a secret room that I never knew about?!_

"Robin..." Raven growled.

"I know! I'm sorry!" Robin winced.

"Shame on you!" Starfire sniffed. Robin sighed with a small groan and led them to the hidden passageway. He showed them the buttons and then the room.

"The place...reeks of honey..." Raven blinked.

"Jericho and Ambrosia needed a room," Robin sighed. "Beast Boy and I waited out in the hallway until they were done. There are no cameras here for a reason. We could have secret meetings in here, if we have to. I'd like to construct more hidden passageways to get Ambrosia to safety, if we need to. The same thing is going to be done in the castles."

"Okay. I can work on that," Cyborg nodded. "Still...you didn't tell us about this?!"

"It was for emergencies!" Robin winced.

"Hey, it was a first for me, too," Beast Boy pouted. "Don't take it out on him, though."

"Why not?" Raven frowned. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. That made Raven's jaw drop, and she blushed hard.

"That's why!" he grinned and whistled, as he walked away from her. Starfire found herself giggling, and Robin started to snicker with Cyborg.

"Well, Raven, apparently, he wants you to take it out on him," Cyborg smirked. Raven wanted to fry him with a shadow bolt, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted with a grumble. Now that plans were being made, Jericho was sighing with a grin.  _Beast Boy pulled a fast one there!_  Ambrosia was still sleeping, and he wasn't sure if he could chance doing anything without her. There was a lot he needed to check on.

Taking out a moon crystal, he set it on the table by the bed. He'll be watching her through it at all times. He moved down to the ballroom to start making upgrades. Thirty minutes later, she woke up with a groan. She didn't find Jericho there, but she saw the moon crystal.  _What was this for?_  She tilted her head to the side and got up to dress with a bit of focus. Now wearing a sleek gown of dark blue, she moved to the door to try to find him.

"Ambrosia!" Aqualad said and walked over.

"Hmm? Oh! Do you know where Jericho is?" she frowned.

"No. I was going to ask you that," he said.

"Oh. I'll wait for him in the bedroom, then," she sighed.

"I'll check the ballroom," he nodded. "Um...Ambrosia?"

"Yes?"

"Did we...do anything the last time we spoke?"

"Not that I recall."

"Hmm. I thought we did," he frowned.

"Ah..." she cringed, as she started to worry. Aqualad caught her before she fell to the ground.

"Are you all right? I mean..." he blinked.  _Why did this feel familiar to me?!_

"I need Jericho..." she shivered. "Please..."

"Why?" he asked and had her face him. She looked at him and his breath caught in his throat. A slow blink of her deep blue eyes was given. Then she turned quickly and shook her head.

"Please...Jericho...! I need him!" she gasped. He grimaced. Then he looked up in time to see a large, green, white-eyed rhinoceros charge into him and bowl him away from her. Beast Boy had Ambrosia in his arms now and was glaring at Aqualad. He felt her fear and despair. His red moon crystal was activated to get him to the castle quickly, and he was enraged at what he saw. He became a large gorilla, lifted her up carefully, and took her into the bedroom. The door slammed shut behind him.

"Aqualad! What happened?!" Robin gasped and ran over now.

"Beast Boy! I was...talking to Ambrosia...and he charged into me..." Aqualad winced.

"Where is Jericho?" Robin frowned.

"I don't know! I came to her to find out. Then she was trying to get to him, and...she looked at me...then she wanted him again. That was when Beast Boy slammed me!"

"I see," Robin frowned. Jericho was walking over briskly, and he was trying to remain calm.

"Looks like I owe him," Jericho sighed. "What did you need?"

"I had found some gold we can use," Aqualad said and stood up. "But...can you please tell me what's going on with Ambrosia? I don't understand what's up with her!"

"When she says she needs Jericho, then she needs Jericho. She worries about him in her second month of pregnancy. It can get dangerous for her, if she can't find him," Robin frowned.

"I had left a moon crystal by her side. I saw that she woke up, but I ended up answering questions for Jinx and Herald. They held me up," Jericho said. "Aqualad, if I tell you something, do you swear on your life and on your honor that you will tell no one? It will clarify a lot of things, and you'll understand a lot more. If you don't agree to this, then expect to get punched in the face every time I find you alone with Ambrosia during her second month of pregnancy!"

"Ah...you have my word! As a protector of the ocean and a civilian of Atlantis," he said. Robin frowned, but he nodded to Jericho.

"Ambrosia can worry so much for me that, if I'm not there, she will look to another for comfort and support. What I mean by this is simple. She will mistake you for me," Jericho said carefully. "She will do things to you that would scar you for life!"

"Oh!" Aqualad blinked.

"And, now that you know this, I'm going to do something else," Jericho said. He looked at Robin with a nod, and the glamour was lifted from Aqualad. He blinked and gasped with complete shock.

"Now you know," Robin said lightly with a harsh frown. "Do  _not_  spill this knowledge, and  _don't you dare_ go back on your word. If she needs Jericho,  _you find him!_ "

"Right!" Aqualad winced. He had never felt so intimidated by Robin before. "I will!"

"We had to make you forget. Not only for your safety, but for hers. We don't know how others would go about this. Bushido does know, but he swore to secrecy. My team knows, too. Beast Boy and I are the only ones that can help her when Jericho is busy. She trusts us," Robin said.

"Beast Boy?!" Aqualad asked with surprise.

"He broke her curse with me," Jericho said. That was enough for Aqualad to understand. "I'm going to check on her. Robin? What will you do?"

"I'll work on the ballroom treaty. I have a few moon crystals I can still use," he nodded. "I'll let the others know what happened."

"Fine," Jericho nodded back.

"You. Come with me," Robin said. Aqualad knew that Robin and Jericho were exceptionally deadly right now. He had to go with Robin. Jericho walked into the bedroom to see Beast Boy hastily pull up the covers over him and Ambrosia. They were sitting up in the bed, and her face was pressed against his neck. He did not look happy at all while he held her.

"I owe you my thanks. You saved her again," Jericho said and sat by them.

"I know," Beast Boy nodded and hugged her. "I felt that something was wrong. Then I felt that she missed you and you weren't there. Then she sent me Aqualad's face. I used the red crystal to get here as fast as I could. When I saw that he wasn't letting her go, I got mad. So, I rammed him off of her and brought her in here. It's funny. Normally, I'd be all clumsy and stuff. But I just...I know what to do with her. I just go by my instinct, I guess."

"Well, if you can't trust your gut, go with your instinct," Jericho chuckled.

"Yeah, huh? Normally, my gut's always hungry. Or filled with gas!" he grinned.

"Ew..." Ambrosia cringed, and he laughed. Jericho cracked a grin and gestured for her. Beast Boy gave her a small nuzzle and let her go to her husband. He moved to dress quickly and lay back in the bed. Jericho helped her dress carefully. Robin walked in shortly after, and Beast Boy waved with a grin.

"Careful. Beast Boy said he might have gas," Jericho smirked.

"What?!" Robin grimaced.

"Dude! That was not cool!" Beast Boy scowled.

"You said it!" Jericho chuckled.

"That's just gross," Robin grinned. "Anyways, thanks for your quick movement, Beast Boy. I told the others about Aqualad. Starfire wasn't very happy, and Raven is going to be watching him for the rest of the night. Cyborg wants a teleporter made in the Tower. One for each room. I said not the safe room for security reasons, and he agreed."

"Okay. Beast Boy, you'll protect her?" Jericho asked.

"Yep!" he nodded. Robin nodded back, and Ambrosia was given back over to Beast Boy. When they left, Beast Boy let her cuddle into him.

"I honestly thought that Aqualad was going to...keep me from Jericho...and I tried...to keep focus," she frowned. "I didn't want to touch his cheek..."

"I know," he said gently. "You did good!"

"It's just so hard..." she shivered, and he hugged her.

"It's okay. I'm here now, and I'm going to protect you. I'll do everything that I can to make sure that nothing hurts you. I promise."

"Thank you."

"Any time," he smiled, and she kissed him. He let her rest her head on his chest and close her eyes to sleep. Normally, he'd be wanting to sleep, too, but, after what he just did, he was wide awake. It was a good thing that he was. A sharp knock was on the door, and he growled dangerously. He didn't recognize the scent of the one on the other side of the door. He grabbed the moon crystal nearby and whispered to it of the odd scent he was getting. Moments later, Jericho appeared in the room.

"Thanks for the warning. Robin will appear in a different area," he said.

"Good. I'll shift if I have to," Beast Boy said. Jericho straightened his back and opened the door.

"Who are you?" Jericho frowned at the young Fae man.

"Ah...my name is Kalen," he said a bit nervously. He had golden blond hair, pale green eyes, sharply pointed ears, and rather youthful features. He wore a solid blue tunic, pants, and boots outfit.

"And why are you here, Kalen? I am King Jericho. Also known as King Tintagel," he said.

"Ah, yes. Um...does the Queen need assistance in her second month?" he asked hopefully.

" _What?!_ " Jericho gaped. "What do you take me for?! I am with her! I am the only help she needs! What sort of idiocy is this?!"

"Well, Your Majesty, um, any male is to assist with any pregnancy..." Kalen winced. Now Tintagel came out to show his disgust.

" _I go by the old ways, young one. Find another to assist. There is no need for you to be here,_ " Jericho growled. " _If you come here again to ask for such a stupid thing, I will backhand you out of my castle and block you from entering!_ "

"Ah! Yes, Your Majesty! Of course!"

" _And, after my brother backhands you out, I'll gut you open as I laugh myself to pieces!_ " Robin hissed, as he danced behind this one. " _I am Robin, but also known as King Elvey. The Laughing Battle Mage. Have you...heard of me?_ "

"The...Laughing...Battle Mage...ah..." Kalen paled now.

" _Queen Ambrosia is my daughter, little whelp! Leave! Now!_ " Robin snapped. Kalen gasped and quickly ran off. Robin crossed his arms and shook his head.

" _What is going on with the Fae Realms now?! They just instantly assume that any can help another?! That's distasteful!_ " Jericho grimaced, as Tintagel showed his displeasure.

" _If anyone comes up to me at the gala, I'm going to give them all a warning to watch what they say. If even one of them asks to help 'comfort' my daughter, their spines will be decorations on the walls!_ " Robin scowled. Jericho nodded, put a hand on his shoulder, and they walked into the bedroom. Beast Boy was snickering the whole time while Ambrosia slept.

"Robin?" Starfire asked, as she walked over. He heard her before the door closed.

"Hey," Robin said with a frown. She could see he was pissed.

"Um..." she frowned.

"Sorry. Some stupid guy came over here and  _asked_ to be with Ambrosia! Of all the things that anyone that stupid could be...!" Robin growled. Starfire was gaping with a twitching eye.

"Yeah. That is stupid," Raven muttered, as she appeared.

"Alston said that others would appear," Jericho scowled.

"I'm not budging. I'll protect her," Beast Boy nodded. Raven looked over with a smile on her face, and he blushed with a grin. Starfire saw this and realized exactly what Beast Boy was doing.  _He was guarding her like Robin had to do, and Raven appeared okay with it. Maybe I was seeing things all the wrong way. There was no kissing or hugging. He was simply protecting her like he said he would._  It actually made her feel a lot better, but no one would ever know that he had to be with Ambrosia first before that need wore off. Once she was calmed, he could simply rest with her at her side with no other incidents. Ambrosia shivered in her sleep, and Beast Boy sighed while he hugged her a bit more. He whispered softly to her, and she seemed to sleep a bit deeper.

"She just needs someone she can trust to protect her. That's all," Robin sighed.

"Well, if all these young morons are going to be coming here to try and be with my wife..." Jericho growled. "Where's Cyborg?"

"Looks like I got here just in time," he said, as he trudged in. "Robin, who was that little runt that ran past me? He looked scared out of his mind and in a big hurry. He was wearing blue, I think."

"That was a young Fae named Kalen. He wanted to be with Ambrosia and had the gall to ask Jericho for permission," Robin growled. "He'd better have left the grounds!"

"Are you serious?! Tell me you are  _not_  serious!" Cyborg gaped.

"Oh, he is," Jericho muttered.

"I didn't recognize his scent," Beast Boy snorted. "Of course, I had to contact Jericho. If he came in here, I would have chomped him!"

"Better not. You don't know where they've been," Robin grinned.

"Ew! Ack!" Beast Boy grimaced. "Now you had to make me think of everything else I've chomped on! Thanks!"

That got snickers and giggles from everyone.

"So, what's the plan now?" Cyborg asked.

"I want a video camera of some kind to take snapshots of every guy that comes up to this door," Robin said. "Moon crystals could do it, but it would be a waste."

"I can do that. Hmm. Was that secret chamber set up yet?" he asked.

"No. Thanks for reminding me!" Jericho chuckled. "The only thing is that I need Ambrosia awake. She has to agree to the change, too."

"I think she would," Robin said. Jericho moved over to the bed and gently roused her. He whispered softly to her, and she yawned with a nod. He kissed her cheek and let her fall back to sleep. Another knock was on the door, and, this time, Cyborg answered it.

"Yes?" he asked and stared down at another Fae man.

"Ah..." the man blinked.

"My wife is fine! Leave!" Jericho snarled out. Raven appeared behind the man and glared.

"A...High Warlock?!" the man gasped.

"Get out!" Raven grimaced, as her robe invoked her shadows to hover around her menacingly. The man squealed away in panic. Jericho was getting ready to burst into swears. Robin was trying to focus on staying calm. Starfire was clearly disgusted.

"Why do these...these...rude people do this?!" she asked. "Why do they not leave her alone?"

"Because they have forgotten the old ways," Jericho sighed. "If they do not accept the old ways, then, I fear, that any castle we create will not join the Fae society. The Unseelie Court is far more conditioned in the old ways. But, sometimes a common threat forces many to resort back to history."

"And we need to always learn from the mistakes of history," Robin chuckled.

"Oh, brother! Don't bring up that Mad Mod guy!" Beast Boy groaned.

"Was he frozen?" Cyborg asked.

"I don't think so," Raven mused. Robin was going to say something, but Ambrosia snapped awake with a small gasp, and Beast Boy sat up to hug her. Jericho was pulling her into his arms next, and she was shivering with a form of fright.

"Darling! What happened?" he frowned. Robin looked over at her and pulled out a blue moon crystal. He focused, and the room started to glow when he chanted. Cyborg's jaw dropped, and Starfire was no better. Raven was amazed at the spell that Robin was casting.

" _I set up a dream ward over this room. If anything tries to interfere with her sleep again, I'll know!_ " Robin growled and dropped the empty crystal into his bag. " _Ambrosia. What happened?_ "

"I just...felt this stabbing pain in my head..." she said. "It's gone now, but..."

"A stabbing pain?" Raven frowned. She nodded, and Raven moved to place a hand on her forehead. She focused, and her robe assessed what happened. "Someone tried to find you and invade your dreams. Your crown stopped it to prove that it is a soul-mated crown. In fact, it reversed what tried to happen. Whoever tried this is likely in as much pain as you were."

"Robin?" Starfire blinked, as he suddenly cringed. Another blue crystal was pulled and words were chanted out. Raven hissed, as she saw spindly hands reach out and seem to chase after the ones that were chanting their spells. The spell he used was ancient and forgotten by many. It was designed to trace the spell back to the caster and mute their voices.

_"Give me a crystal, too,_ " Jericho smirked. " _I am the Mage Bane, after all._ "

" _Go for it!_ " Robin snickered and handed him one. Jinx and Herald were at the door now with concern from all the magic they were detecting.

"Robin and Jericho got this," Raven said.

"Good," Herald said.

"I detected hostile energy coming at us!" Jinx frowned.

"Jericho was known not only as the Silent Death, but also as the Mage Bane," Raven said. "He will have all of this under control shortly."

Herald and Jinx were gaping at this news. Jericho was already using a spell to weave around Robin's spell. He saw the Mages causing his wife harm. Once he saw them, he whispered, " _Heed my words and heed them well! The Mage Bane lives again, as does the Laughing Battle Mage. Touch my wife, and you will die! This is your first and last warning!_ "

After that, he let the spell drop, and he smirked.

"You were able to transmit your voice?!" Raven gaped.

" _Yes. Forgotten magic to the new age. Not to me,_ " Jericho grinned savagely.

" _Brother, I fear we may have to cancel the gala. If Ambrosia is under attack already, then the gala is not a wise thing to do,_ " Robin frowned.

" _True. I'll send out a different message, then. A warning. That any that visit my castle with ill intent, or want to be with my wife, will be slaughtered on sight!_ " Jericho growled. " _The gala will be canceled due to recent events. I will not deem any Fae, old or young, worthy of being in my ancestral home! The only way I will accept such guests is if they approach with formal neutrality!_ "

"Do it," Beast Boy frowned. "Send that message now!"

Ambrosia just cringed, and Jericho hugged her to him again.

"Don't worry, dearest. I'll make everything right. Nothing will touch you. No one will hurt you. It's okay. Hush, love. I'm here..." Jericho soothed. Ambrosia could only nod. He placed a hand on the back of her head to press her a bit more against him. Only when she stopped shaking, did he smile and kiss her gently. She had a powerful and deadly husband that was ready to snap the necks of anyone that tried to hurt her. Robin would be there to kick the bodies away with glee.

"What are we to do?" Ambrosia asked softly.

"I'm going to send out a message," Jericho said. "Beast Boy will protect you with the others. Raven? Stay here, please. Herald? Jinx? Please escort me."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they both nodded. They were normally on an equal name reference with him, but, at a time like this, it helped to show he was King. Raven nodded and moved to sit in a chair.

"Okay. Cyborg? Star? We need to do a scouting perimeter around the castle. Use moon crystals to search for any residual energy, and feed them to the crystals to strengthen the defenses! Let's go, Titans!" Robin said. They both followed him quickly, and Beast Boy sighed when Ambrosia trembled against him. He hugged her and looked at Raven.

"Hey. I wanna tell you something," Beast Boy frowned.

"Yeah?" Raven asked.

"You know how I help comfort her, right?" he asked.

"I do," she nodded.

"Well...I might slip in my focus with her. Just warning you," he grimaced.

"Ah...oh. Wow. Okay," Raven blinked. "Ambrosia? Do you think you can hold it back?"

"I can try," Ambrosia sighed. "I should be okay. He has not left my side, so I know he is safe."

"Did he slip in his focus with you before?" she asked.

"He has," Ambrosia shivered. Raven paused at this and found herself smiling.

"It's fine. All for the kid, right?" she chuckled.

"Yes. To keep my son from being in danger," Ambrosia sighed.

"What would happen if a girl tried to help you?" Beast Boy asked.

"I would not feel safe. Nothing would happen, but I would panic more and more until the stress reached a dangerous level. To a point that I would run to any man for comfort," she frowned. "I saw it happen with another before. Not my Mother, but one of her sisters, I think. She had a maid with her. When her husband was not found, she escaped the maid and found one of the servants. It was embarrassing to her. To say the least."

"Wow," Raven thought. "Crazy!"

"Yeah!" Beast Boy agreed. Ambrosia took a deep breath and blinked at a knock on the door. Raven got up and answered it.

"Yes?" she asked. The Fae man gaped at the High Warlock, turned, and ran off quickly. A ball of shadows launched after him to further him along. She muttered and closed the door. Beast Boy was laughing like crazy. Ambrosia just shook her head.

"I cannot wait until it is daylight!" Ambrosia sighed.

"Hmm. True. Don't worry. Nothing will get past me," Raven nodded.

"Thank you," she smiled. "I wish it didn't have to be this way..."

"I was the one that gave Beast Boy the book to find you. You helped me by showing me a new line of magic, gave me a robe that is now one of my best friends, and introduced me to Fae culture. I'd say we're pretty even," Raven smiled at her with a small grin. Ambrosia beamed back at her. At another knock on the door, Beast Boy growled at the unknown scent. Raven nodded and opened the door slightly to peer through it.

"Um...hello?" the next Fae man said.

" _Leave!_ " Raven hissed. He squeaked and ran off. Beast Boy was simply dying with laughter now. Ambrosia was just curious as to why the men were all so weak. At her furious thoughts, Beast Boy looked at her with a frown and pressed himself against her.

"Dunno why they're like that," he muttered. "I see why your mom wanted strong guys."

"Yes. What do they smell like to you?" Ambrosia asked as she pet his hair.

"Umm," he thought and felt drowsy at the petting. "Magic and, eh...human."

"So...there has been a lot of human bloodline spread. I doubt any true-born Fae are left. Save any old suitors of mine that lived. A shame," she sighed.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded and closed his eyes. Raven blinked, as the door opened, but it was Jericho. He nodded to her with respect, and she nodded back in kind.

"Three men appeared. They didn't last long," Raven chuckled.

"Really? That's not good," Jericho frowned. He turned just as another man showed up. "How did you get into my castle?!"

"Ah..." the Fae man blinked and now he was grabbed and hauled up to stare into Jericho's eyes. Jericho became ethereal and merged into him.

"Good," Jericho said with the man's voice. "Okay, Stall. Let's see what you know."

"What are you doing?!" Stall gasped now that he couldn't move.

"Getting some crucial information!" Jericho snapped. Ambrosia seemed to sigh, and Raven watched everything carefully. Once Jericho had what he needed, he separated from the man and sent him away. He moved right over to where a small chest of moon crystals were and selected one. He focused and chanted. The walls glowed with gold and red highlights before fading away.

"Hmm. Intense teleportation block," Raven mused.

"Yes. Please tell Jinx and Herald to be on the look-out for any teleportation magic that does not have our signature," Jericho said. "Anyone that is not a known Titan is to be sent away!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Raven nodded and left.

"They were teleporting in?!" Ambrosia gaped. Now she realized why her Treant wasn't active.  _They were able to teleport into the castle, itself, to steer clear of it._

"Yes. Old magic was altered in the years to accept various things. I simply blocked off those various things. Now nothing can get through. They'll get bounced elsewhere and will need to ask for a formal invite from this point forward," Jericho said.

"That's a relief," Beast Boy muttered. She bent down to kiss him deeply, and he blushed at her. Jericho looked over, as Robin walked in.

" _I felt the spell. Teleporting in, eh? I want to add a tracking spell to yours so we know where they try to get in from,_ " Robin grinned. " _Think it can be done?_ "

"Go for it," Jericho chuckled. As Robin was ready to do this, a knock was heard on the door. Jericho frowned, but Ambrosia looked at Beast Boy. At his growl, she got out of the bed and had her armor come out. Robin blinked and Jericho found himself grinning.

"They want to see me? Then fine!" she snarled. She pulled the sword off her back, and Beast Boy became the dragon to hop onto her shoulder. She opened the door and glared at the Fae man.

"Ah...oh..." he blinked. Her beauty shocked him at first. Then the sword made him pale.

"How did you get into my home?!" she snarled. Beast Boy hissed dangerously.

"I was here before the spell went up..." he cringed. At the sight of the dragon, he shook.

"You are weak! Far too weak for the likes of me! Husband! Robin! Get rid of this weak pile of disgusting filth before I rend him into pieces!" she seethed.

"With pleasure..." Robin grinned wickedly.

"Whatever you say, dearest," Jericho chuckled. When Raven appeared behind the man, he feinted. Now she noticed what Ambrosia was wearing, and her jaw dropped.

"I got mad and made myself armor," Ambrosia giggled.

"Wow!" Raven found herself giggling with her.

"Hey, Robin! I need to tell...um..." Kid Flash gaped at the sight of Ambrosia in her armor.

"It's just to keep others away from me. Mainly for defense. I never attack," Ambrosia said.

"Right," he swallowed. "And, eh...who's that?"

"An intruder. Get rid of him?" Jericho asked. Kid Flash grinned, grabbed the man, and sped off with him. When he got back, he was empty handed.

"I just wanted to say that we encountered some Fae as we were gathering crystals. Mas y Menos and I avoided them. I don't want to know what would have happened if they saw us," he said.

"Very true. Good idea," Robin nodded. His communicator went off, and he scowled. "Break-in. I need to handle this one."

"Nah. I'll get a couple others. We'll tackle it!" Kid Flash grinned.

"If it's too much, tell us," Jericho said. The location was given over for him, and a nod was given back before he was gone.

"I have an idea. I want to walk to the main grounds. Any Titan who wants a fun job can walk up to me. Love, I want to make a special team that will answer 'calls' for us. Any Fae that tries to 'call' in to see me directly is to be denied. Any that show actual interest in speaking with us neutrally will get an appointment. Do you see what I'm trying to say?" Ambrosia smiled.

"You want secretaries!" Robin chuckled.

"Ah! That would be clever," Jericho mused. "We can have Cyborg set up a calendar."

"That would work," she nodded. Her armor shifted down into her deep blue gown again, and Jericho pulled her close. Beast Boy remained on her shoulder. Robin cast his tracking spell and was amazed at how many were trying to reach the castle now.

"Over twenty signatures were bounced off. Idiots!" Robin frowned.

"Apparently, when there is a pregnant Fae woman, they flock to her. Especially if the woman is a Queen. A Queen has not been seen for two hundred years. Stall came here hoping to be with her to brag. I bet it's the same with the others," Jericho muttered, as he mulled over the memories.

"So...all I would be is...bragging rights?!" she said with disgust.

"Which is why no one will touch you!" Robin growled. Beast Boy growled at her thoughts and curled his tail around her neck securely. She was just shaking her head at everything now. The hallway was empty except for the four of them, and she turned to kiss Robin fiercely. The she hugged him tight, and he hugged her back. Jericho got the same hug and kiss next.

"I will make sure to refuse any from this point forward!" she vowed.

"Good," Jericho smiled and kissed her forehead. Robin offered his arm to her, and Jericho did the same. She looped an arm around each of theirs, and they escorted her to the castle entrance. Beast Boy turned his head and snarled at something. Another Fae man was quickly found and tossed out. There were quite a few that were locked in from the anti-teleporting spell and were being sent on their way.

"They're like rats! Sorry, Beast Boy," she sighed. He purred and nuzzled her to show it was fine. "Jericho, dear, I'm going to cry if there aren't that many female Fae left in the world!"

"I doubt that. These are all young ones. Stall was only a hundred and fifty years old, if that. Apparently, with the Fae blood getting thinner and human blood getting stronger, the life spans of many have shortened by decades. The oldest known Fae is about fifteen hundred years, but he is an Elder. One of the last. An average lifespan of a Fae now is around six hundred years. A far cry from what it used to be. We are likely the oldest known Fae now. One of them, if that."

"Hmm," Robin frowned. He glanced up and narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?!"

"Ah!" the Fae grimaced and fell to the ground. He was hanging on the wall from a spell he devised. He lost focus when he was seen. Beast Boy hissed and then seemed to snicker when Cyborg hauled the Fae man up by his tunic.

"Do you have a reason to be here? A valid one other than being with the Queen?!" Cyborg growled. "And don't try lying to me!"

"Um...no..." he grimaced. "I don't..."

"Then you don't belong here!" Cyborg scowled. The man got tossed, and Robin had him vanish away. "I actually like playing the bouncer! It's kinda fun!"

"Good!" Ambrosia beamed. "Robin? Can you tell him my idea?"

"With pleasure!" Robin grinned and moved to whisper to his friend. Cyborg started laughing.

"I'll do it as long as I get to be bouncer!" he nodded.

"Always," Robin grinned. "We can think of the gala as a high resort club."

"Now that's an idea!" Jericho chuckled. "Maybe this way, it can be rescheduled with firm rules."

"Good. Spread the word?" Robin asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Cyborg cheered and moved off quickly. Robin's communicator went off, and now he opened it to find Kid Flash.

"We need a bit of help. Um, this idiot's trying to break into a zoo!" he frowned.

"A zoo has animals, right?" Ambrosia smiled.

"Oh..." Jericho snickered now. "We'll join you on this one."

"Are you sure? With all the Fae trying to reach her," Robin frowned.

"Her crown will protect her, and I won't leave her side," Jericho nodded. "It's also daylight, so not many can simply teleport to us if they are on your side of the world."

"Ambrosia is going to help us with her empathy," Robin said to Kid Flash. "Gather up whoever is there! Cyborg! Starfire! Raven! Our help is needed with Kid Flash!"

They all formed quickly, and Jinx wanted to come along to aid her boyfriend. Jericho focused on the moon crystal that Kid Flash had and teleported them all to his location.


	16. Chapter 16

Ambrosia quickly changed her outfit to the sunhat, crop top, jeans, and shoes to blend in. Jericho wore his hat, and the others nodded at this. Beast Boy reverted to human form at her side and frowned. Kid Flash found them and nodded to them. He moved to Jinx to kiss her, and she giggled.

"The guy is crazy! He is trying to steal some really rare animals. A white tiger, a panda, and white rhinoceros. I think the guy is completely brain-dead," Kid Flash grimaced.

"Loco en la cabeca!" Mas said, and Menos nodded with agreement.

"Really," Ambrosia frowned, and she sighed. Beast Boy winced and pressed into her side. The animals around them in the cages started to go crazy. Those that were able to escape had flocked to her side. She laughed at a peacock that fanned out his feathers for her. She looked over to see the animals in danger of being stolen running over to her now.

"Get back here! I haven't sold you all yet!" a crazed man with a ragged mustache shouted.

"All the plant life," Jericho grinned.

"Very," Robin mused. Ambrosia chuckled and focused for various roots to tear up from the ground and trap the man in them. He was dangled in the air and squealing.

"Are you all okay?" Ambrosia asked the endangered creatures. The white tiger nuzzled into her hands, and the white rhinoceros nudged her arm. The panda yawned sleepily and sat down. When the zookeepers arrived, Ambrosia rose up her hands to stop them and keep calm. Then she whispered, "Thank you all for your help! You need to go back to where you were. Don't worry. I'm sure I'll be able to visit you all soon."

The zookeepers gaped in shock, as the animals started to move back to their enclosures. She gave another pat to the white tiger, and it loped off. Raven went to the dangling man, and the roots released him into her shadows. Ambrosia had them settle into the ground, and the land healed up as though nothing happened again. Jericho kept an arm around her, and Robin smirked.

"You'll go to jail now," Raven grinned. The man simply nodded.

"Oh. Can you do me a favor?" Ambrosia whispered to the peacock that remained at her side. She took out a bag of moon crystals, whispered softly in the language of the Fae, and the bird flew off with them to disperse all over the zoo.

"Very nice!" Jericho chuckled.

"Catch that monkey!" a zookeeper shrieked. The small recess monkey screeched and ran up to Ambrosia to settle on her shoulder. It hissed and squeaked at the man.

"Easy, there! What's wrong?" Ambrosia frowned. It cuddled her, and she giggled. "Aww! You just wanted to see me! It's okay now. You can go back to your friends."

The monkey poked her nose to tickle her slightly just to make her giggle and jumped down. It made a face at the zookeeper, and Robin started laughing when it scampered off. Starfire was amazed at what Ambrosia could do. Beast Boy sighed with relief at the feel of his hair getting run through, and he was able to stand up again. He had to know that she was well in order to focus.

"I didn't have to do anything!" Cyborg frowned.

"Actually, you can do something," Robin chuckled and whispered to him.

"Are you sure about that?" he frowned.

"If something happens, and Ambrosia's in trouble here, why not?" Robin smirked.

"Hmm. They would have to know I'm not food," Cyborg sighed.

"You eat over half of them, anyways!" Beast Boy huffed.

"There are quite a few things here that could make a meal outta me!" he retorted.

"Oh, cool! That means that you're the lowest one on the food chain here!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Why you little...!" Cyborg scowled and started to chase him around. Ambrosia started to giggle, and Jericho nodded to the others that it was time to leave.

"Cyborg, don't worry. They will know you are not a threat," Ambrosia beamed. "You have a strand of my hair, right? If you do, no animal will harm you. They will know you are a friend."

"Oh! Well, I guess that does help!" Cyborg grinned. Then he smacked Beast Boy away with a timed arm stretch. Now that Beast Boy was dazed on the ground, Ambrosia blinked with a small gasp.

"He'll be fine. It's called 'tough love' with us," Robin chuckled. Beast Boy got up groggily and glared at Cyborg with a mutter. Ambrosia knelt down to his side, and they both smiled when their eyes met. He hugged her to show he was fine, and they stood up.

"Well, it's daylight here," Ambrosia smiled. "and we are at the zoo..."

"You haven't been here yet, hmm?" Jericho chuckled.

"Normally, we'd have to pay an admission fee," Robin sighed.

"I'm back. What did I miss?" Raven asked. Cyborg went to fill her in with Starfire. When they turned, the zoo director was coming up to them.

"You! Blondie!" the man in the tan khakis outfit said, as he ran over.

"Her name is Ambrosia, and she's my wife," Jericho said irritably. "And she's pregnant."

"Oh!" the man blinked. "Ah, sorry! Um, Ambrosia? Well, how did you do that with the animals? The news said that you could only control plants!"

"Well, you could say that I am very Nature oriented. Animals know when I am upset, and they come to help me. I give them impressions on things. I would never hurt them," she shrugged.

"We were wondering if we could take a tour of the zoo. She's never been here before and would like to see the layout," Robin said casually. "If any animals are injured, she can tell you, too."

"You saved my prized animals! Of course, I can arrange that for you!" the man chuckled. "And, if you could help my animals, I would appreciate it! They call me Lawrence. Lawrence Bloomberg."

"Thank you, Lawrence," she nodded. In Fae society, her royalty would be made known. In human society, she was a Titan. It worked out neatly. Jericho kept an arm around her waist, and Robin put an arm around Starfire's waist. She blushed at this, and a tour car was called over. Beast Boy sat with Raven, and Cyborg made sure to study each animal cage they came across. Jinx sat with Cyborg and enjoyed the tour. Kid Flash was overlooking the zoo as quickly as he could with Mas y Menos to ensure that each animal was secure. Any animal that hadn't seen her yet hooted, hollered, or roared at her for attention. Ambrosia made sure to wave to each one to appease them.

"She's a regular Dr. Doolittle!" Lawrence gaped.

"I know," Jericho chuckled and kissed her forehead. She blushed and he squeezed her.

"Oh!" she gasped at the sight of a zebra stallion laying on his side. "I need to see that animal! The zebra! Please? He's very sick!"

"Yeah, we know. We don't know what's wrong with him. If you can help him, I'll make sure you can come to the zoo whenever you want while it's open!" Lawrence promised and nodded to the keepers. She moved with Jericho into the zebra enclosure and knelt down to assess the animal. Beast Boy was grimacing, and Raven watched with concern. Robin and Cyborg shrugged at each other, and Starfire was frowning at the pain the animal was in.

"It's okay. I'm here," Ambrosia soothed. The zebra appeared relieved and sighed.

"Don't do anything," Jericho warned the keepers. "Let her help this animal."

"Oh! You ate something metal? I see," she frowned, as she moved her hands over the zebra's belly. "It's...a coin of sorts..."

"People always throw pennies at the animals," Lawrence cringed. "If it's metal poisoning..."

"Quiet," Jericho growled. Ambrosia focused lightly. The light from the sun hid the glowing nature of her crown under the hat. Her healing went through the animal's blood and filtered it out. The coin was safely dissolved and dispersed into nothing. Then she sighed, and the zebra sat up to rest his head in her lap. She smiled and rustled his forelock.

"You will be better after a good nap. Okay?" she beamed. She got a healthy, sloppy lick to her cheek, and the zebra got up to find a comfortable place to stand. Jericho helped clean off the drool with a chuckle, and he picked her up to carry her.

"She cured him! She healed our stud zebra!" a keeper gaped.

"Do you have a contact number, if our vets can't do anything?" Lawrence asked.

"Just call the Titan hotline. We'll see what we can do," Robin nodded. With this knowledge gained, the zoo director sighed with relief. Ambrosia looked over, as several other zebras came over to see her. Jericho carefully set her on her feet so she could be confronted. She laughed and let them nuzzle her. One of the fillies gave her a look and a small whinny.

"Oh! Um...I don't think you can come with me. You need to stay here," Ambrosia smiled. The filly looked deeply upset. "No, no! It's not that I don't like you! You need to be with your family. Oh...well...I don't know if that can happen..."

"What is it?" Jericho asked.

"This zebra filly wants to be with me," she frowned. "She doesn't want to leave my side."

"Well, she's still a bit young for that," he winked. The zebra looked at him and tilted her head cutely. He found himself laughing and scratched her muzzle. She leaned into him, and now he blinked.

"She knows us," Ambrosia cringed. "I...don't know what to think."

"Is there something wrong with Mystic?" a keeper asked.

"She just developed a strong bond with Ambrosia. She wants to live with her," Jericho sighed.

"Does she?" Robin frowned. Beast Boy looked puzzled.

"Animal companions are not uncommon at all for those with her talents. How old is Mystic?" Jericho asked. "Can you tell, dear?"

"Hmm. A year old," she smiled.

"So, fully weaned and already made up her mind, eh?" Robin chuckled. "Sounds like a teenager! I would know! But, that decision is clearly up to Lawrence."

"What does the zebra want?" Lawrence asked.

"She wants to live with me. I told her no, but she got upset," Ambrosia sighed.

"Hmm. Well, I do have an excess of zebras," he thought. "I was going to sell a few of them to other zoos. You did help me with my zoo, and you helped me with a sick animal already. You will care for this zebra? Wait! Why am I asking that question? I know you will! Okay. We'll have to sign some paperwork to show that she will be legally yours."

"Oh!" Ambrosia beamed, and Mystic nibbled her cheek.

"If you come by tomorrow, the paperwork will be ready. I'll have a lawyer draw everything up so it will be legal in the system," Lawrence said.

"Can I sign it for her? She is my wife, and I prefer my signature on everything instead of hers for safety reasons. And don't worry about a proper enclosure for her. We have plenty of living space for animals," Jericho said with a chuckle. Lawrence nodded at this, and Robin knew that the man would have been glamoured into forgetting that he had this particular zebra, if he declined. So would the rest of the staff that knew the zebra enclosure. Ambrosia was whispering softly to the filly, and she snorted happily. She can wait until tomorrow. Robin watched her with the animal and smiled softly.

"Rest here and stay safe. I'll tuck this near you to help see you if anything happens, okay?" Ambrosia whispered and placed a tiny moon crystal in the pen. "If something does happen, and it's urgent, just make a loud noise right here. Jericho will hear it, and we will get you."

Mystic nodded and nuzzled her again. The other zebras already understood that this one would guard her well. Another loving pat was given to the filly, and they left the pen. As they walked out, Ambrosia gasped and turned towards the large cat section.

"Darling?" Jericho asked.

"One of them is in pain!" she grimaced. Beast Boy winced, shifted into a tiger, and let her climb on with Jericho to lope off. Raven followed with the others.

"She just started her labors!" one of the cat keepers said in the lion enclosure.

"Let me help!" Ambrosia said.

"It's okay!" Lawrence nodded.

"I need hot water, towels, and able bodies to grab the cubs when they emerge!" Ambrosia said quickly, as she approached the lioness. "Hush now. Easy..."

The lioness panted and crawled over to her to lay down in front of her with a heavy sigh. She removed most of the pain, as her hand moved over the heaving belly. The massive, male lion snarled at the keepers, and Beast Boy shifted into another lion to help. Jericho was ready to help with the delivery of the first cub, and it was quickly cleaned with a sterile towel. Another towel with hot water was carefully cooled to help clean the cub and keep it warm.

"Normally, a lioness would be in a den of sorts!" one of the women keepers frowned.

"They know she will help them. Let her help!" Robin muttered. As a response, the keepers were pushed away by Beast Boy and the other lions. Jinx was watching everything with fascination and soon found herself holding a cub to dry off. Starfire was handed another, and the last one was handed to Raven.

"Four cubs! Such a good mother!" Ambrosia beamed. The lioness sighed with relief, and the cubs were given back to start suckling. She stood up and nodded. The lion rumbled to her, and she nodded to give him a small pat on his back. Once again, the keepers were in shock, and Lawrence was just grinning at how well his zoo was going to thrive now.

"One of those cubs might want to be with her, too. Just a heads up," Jericho muttered to him.

"Oh? Well, we'll see what happens," Lawrence nodded. Beast Boy reverted back to human form and beamed at the nursing cubs. Raven grabbed him to pull him out of the enclosure before the lion pack thought they were intruding. She knew they wouldn't hurt them, thanks to Ambrosia's hair, but they would get defensive really soon. Nothing else happened at the zoo from there, and their time was spent with enjoyable success. Ambrosia chatted with her husband happily, and Beast Boy would morph into different animals to see if he could. Then he'd either creep out Raven or get on Cyborg's nerves.

Starfire noticed that Ambrosia didn't even need anyone at her side with Jericho.  _She really didn't want to rely on anyone other than her husband. She didn't want to interfere with the lives of others._ Robin was paying constant attention to Starfire and keeping their love going strong. With Ambrosia around, everything felt great. They got to a photo booth, and Starfire gasped.

"We must take self-portraits!" she beamed.

"Think we can all cram into it together?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Oh, lovely," Raven sighed. Jinx and Kid Flash giggled.

"I do not wish to get crushed," Ambrosia cringed. Jericho chuckled and promised that she wouldn't. Robin now ordered everyone in.

"Cyborg! Move your metal butt over!" Beast Boy squealed.

"I can take it apart so you can kiss it!" he growled.

"Ew!" Ambrosia cringed, and Jericho made sure she wouldn't get crammed in too hard. Robin was having a solid blast at the childish scheme. Starfire was cringing at how tight the booth was getting, and Raven was surprised that she was letting herself get in on this. Her robe was actually highly amused. Jinx and Kid Flash decided to wait this one out. Mas y Menos weren't there and had left after the zoo was secured to harvest more crystals. The pictures were taken with everyone making funny faces at the camera. After that little stunt was over, decent pictures were taken with less occupants in the booth.

"That was fun!" Cyborg snickered, as he saw the pictures.

"I think I coughed up a lung!" Beast Boy gagged.

"Not on me!" Raven smirked. Robin laughed when he saw the pictures of them all in the booth.

"I'm going to hold onto these!" he grinned.

"You'd better not show anyone!" Raven warned. He grinned and laughed.

"I would like one of those," Ambrosia smiled.

"I'll make sure you get one," he nodded.

"I know where I can put it," she said with a soft smile. Jericho looked at her and found himself smiling. Robin looked at her and gave a nod.

"Something we don't know?" Cyborg asked.

"I'll take you all back to Ireland and show you," Jericho smiled. They all nodded, and he teleported them all back to the castle. Once here, he walked them all to the gallery.

"Wow! These pictures look ancient!" Starfire gaped.

"They are priceless," Ambrosia smiled.

"Sinlus had destroyed them. Ambrosia and I pieced them back together," Jericho frowned. They all stopped again at the picture of her at only three years old.

"So pretty!" Jinx giggled.

"Your mom and dad look awesome!" Kid Flash gaped.

"Wait until you see another portrait," Robin chuckled. Jericho nodded and led them down the secret passage. When they all came to this portrait, they all stared in shock.

"That is Elvey?!" Starfire gaped with love-struck eyes. "He is...wow!"

"Handsome. I know," Robin grinned.

"He almost looks like Robin. Same facial structure," Cyborg mused.

"What?" Robin blinked.

"He's right," Raven chuckled.

"No way!" Beast Boy gaped. Robin was just in shock now. He missed this before. Jericho looked at Ambrosia, and she frowned softly. Now Robin knew that he would want to talk to Ambrosia tonight.  _There was no way to avoid it._  Jericho seemed to nod to him and he thought.

"I should just make this place the safe room," he mused.

"That's not a bad idea," Cyborg agreed. Jericho held Ambrosia close and focused with her. The room carefully widened up, and furniture appeared. An elegant chess set appeared in one corner, and a closet filled with various clothes appeared in another. A massive bed with wrought gold and jeweled decorations appeared near the middle of the back wall. The floor had rich, plush carpeting in various places over the marble tile, and a massive grandfather clock appeared. A pantry with various foods was next to appear, though most of it were jars of Fae honey. Showering facilities in a mildly closed off area was quick to follow, and rich tapestries now decorated the walls.

"Very nice," Robin chuckled.

"There will be a few moon stones planted in here. There should be moon stones in the other safe rooms we make," Jericho said.

"As long as the enemy doesn't know," Raven nodded.

"They won't," Robin said. "Jinx? Kid Flash? Keep this a secret. Mas y Menos didn't join us here, so they don't know. The rooms we made are to hide Ambrosia, if something happens. Herald should know about these rooms, since he's a High Warlock."

"And, so he can transport her to one of the rooms if he needs to," Jinx nodded. "Okay."

"Hmm," Ambrosia thought and focused. The portrait of her and her three parents now moved to take an honorary place above the bed. The pictures she was given from the zoo were framed in the same gold and diamond style to be set on either sides of it. That made her smile, and the others gave soft chuckles and giggles. Jericho kissed her gently and thought.

"It's becoming daylight. I don't detect that many trying to get through to the castle," he sighed.

" _You're right. I'm not feeling anymore teleportation attempts. I'd still keep the warding up just in case. It doesn't do anything to me, since my spells are a bit permanent,_ " Robin grinned.

" _Well, Battle Mage was always a step over a High Warlock,_ " Jericho grinned back. That made Raven and Jinx blink at each other.

" _It's merged with your spell, anyways. If your spell fails, so does mine,_ " Robin nodded. "Anyhow, I think I'm ready for some sleep. What about the rest of you?"

"City's been quiet after the zoo," Cyborg nodded. "We need to start up our sleep schedule again! No sleep makes everyone grumpy."

"Tell me about it!" Beast Boy snickered. He got a glare rewarded to him.

"Keep an eye out for any Fae that try to find the Tower," Jericho warned them. "They can teleport right in and slip through your defenses. Make sure the moon crystals are active outside the Tower to shield it. The Fae Realm does not know of the Towers yet, but that could change if we aren't careful. Always be on guard."

" _I'll test the defenses while Robin sleeps,_ " Robin muttered as Elvey. " _I don't need much sleep, as it is. I'll strengthen them and do what I can._ "

"You can keep the body up?" Raven frowned.

" _Yes. I've done it before. It's perfectly safe,_ " Robin promised. She nodded at this, as her robe confirmed it. " _Think of it like sleep walking._ "

"Oh! But, it will be Elvey and not Robin?" Starfire blinked.

" _Exactly,_ " he smiled. " _I'll make sure he sleeps to remain focused._ "

"As long as he's Robin when we need him," Cyborg said.

" _He will be,_ " Robin nodded. " _You have my word._ "

"Good. If that's the case," Jericho chuckled, as Ambrosia yawned. "We need to sleep, too."

"I'll take us back. Jinx? Kid Flash?" Robin asked.

"We'll be fine here," Kid Flash said, as he lifted Jinx into his arms and sped away. Robin and Jericho nodded to each other, and the group gathered together for Robin to take them back to the Tower.

"Now, my dearest," Jericho smiled, as he looked at his wife with a wicked grin. "Want to help me break in this new room? I'm sure we can."

She blushed, and he kissed her passionately to do just that.


	17. Chapter 17

Robin sat in the main room of the Tower and watched the satellite images of the city. Raven and Cyborg weren't sleeping yet, and he wanted to make sure they would. He didn't want to chance being found out with what he wanted to do. He drummed his fingers out quietly on the armrest of the chair, as he thought to himself.  _Maybe I should take a small nap._   _Keep up my strength._ Getting up, he stretched and went into his room. He lay back in the bed and sighed, as he closed his eyes.

The moment he did, he found himself transported into a place that looked like a giant outdoor garden. Marble pillars were placed neatly all around him, and a table was in the very center of the circular structure. The only ceiling was the sky, and heavy, evenly set stone blocks was the floor. Vines covered the pillars to represent age and grace. He looked over the scenery and realized that it was a mountaintop of sorts. It was beautiful.  _What place was this?! Do I know this place?_

"You don't know this place, Robin. This is a place of my own design," a soft voice muttered from behind him. Now there was a chair by the table, and Elvey was sitting back in it.

"Elvey?!" Robin gaped with sheer wonder.

"Yes. It's good to meet you like this at last. The magic well within you has finally bridged us together. I need to talk to you at length. We have all the time in the world. Until you wake up, that is," Elvey chuckled and stood up. His stance was tall, honorable, and regal. He made no sound, as he walked up to Robin, even though he was wearing heavy-looking green boots. It was as though he was a predator and Robin was the prey. His silver-blue, shoulder-length hair was actually shoulder-length in the front for neat, even locks over his pointed ears. The rest of his hair came down to the middle of his back and was tied together securely with light-green ribbons. Deep blue eyes locked onto Robin's masked ones with a form of amusement amidst his youthful, handsome face. Up close, Elvey was a foot taller than Robin, but their build was quite similar. Elvey was a bit more filled out from age, though.

He was wearing a soft, green tunic and black silk pants. It was the same thing that Robin wore at the test gala for the memories to appear, but he lacked the yellow insignia, mask, and cloak. He chose not to wear gloves for now. He didn't need them, as he usually only wore them when he was fighting battles. He also lacked the moon crystal jewelry, save for the single, solitary deep blue moon crystal pendant set in gold around his neck. The moon crystal matched the color of his eyes in both depth and clarity. The look he gave Robin was wise, commanding, and curious.

"Why did you bring me here?" Robin asked.

"Like I said. It's to talk. Sorry if I seem so rude right now. It's just nice to finally meet the one who holds my spirit face to face. Not to mention a good portion of my likeness, and it...surprised me. That's all," Elvey chuckled again and gestured gracefully to another chair that appeared. Robin nodded and sat down with him. A chess set appeared for them, and they started to play.

"What do you want to talk about?" Robin asked.

"Who else? Ambrosia," Elvey replied, as he moved a pawn. "Why do you want to tell her of yourself? Why fill her mind with your grief and memories?"

"I just feel that it isn't fair to her that we know all about her, and she knows nothing of us."

"That may be so. But, you want something more from this. Don't you?"

"I'm not sure," Robin admitted. "I want to...bear my soul to her. Show her that my heart is really hers, I guess. That everything about me is...hers..."

"Robin, what you want to do is stupid!" Elvey growled now and seemed to forget about the game. "Do you have any idea what you want to do?! Seriously?!"

"Then what do I want to do?"

"You want to become  _her_  human, Robin! Her slave! Her consort! Your leadership with the Titans will be at risk if you do this! You can't be at her side all of the time and a leader, too!"

"Then how did you do it?" Robin frowned. "You had a kingdom, and you were with Esmiralda, right? You even had a Queen, too. How did you make it work?"

"Ugh..." Elvey scowled and stood up to shudder. "It was hard. Whenever Essi needed me, I had to be there for her. I almost sacrificed the castle I had helped create. My son suffered, and so did my Queen. I had to keep my love for Essi a secret. I know things are different with you, but you have to think about Starfire. If you plan to marry her, and suddenly you're gone for a whole day, what will she think? Especially if she's pregnant? I know that it won't be a Fae pregnancy, so she won't need another, but she will still need you at her side for support. Did you even think about this?!"

"It's hard to when it comes to Ambrosia. She didn't want this of me. She wanted to remove herself from my life! I couldn't let that happen!"

"And now you're sucked into the Fae Realm so deep you can barely stay afloat," Elvey sighed. "I don't know whether to laugh at you or pity you!"

"I didn't ask for either!" he growled.

"That you didn't. You are still a child. Yes. I said it. A reckless boy that only wants what he can't be have. A boy just shy of becoming a barely legal adult is what you are, and your dreams and aspirations are larger than most egos I've encountered! I know why you charge ahead and face foes head on, as well as challenges, too. It's the way you are, but there are times you fail to think about things! Ambrosia is a well of life. She is a Fae Queen, and now she is hunted by many. If I wasn't able to emerge within you, there would be  _no way_  that you can protect her much less the Titans you lead!"

"But, you can teach me! You can show me how! Can't you?" Robin pleaded. "Ambrosia told me that Jericho trains in his sleep from the memories he has, and Esmiralda trains her! In fact, I'm sure that Tintagel is training Jericho now, since he has his soul in his crown, too. Surely, there is a way that you can train me? There has to be a way to do this!"

"Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?!" Elvey grimaced. "To do this would easily take one of your lifetimes! Maybe even two! The well you have is weak, Robin. If you tap it out, you could hurt yourself beyond reason. You would need thousands upon thousands of moon crystals to cast the spells that I know. Everything I've been using has been _nothing,_  because I can't harm your body! You are not conditioned for magic! Your body has never been conditioned for magic."

"You've been holding out on me? To keep me safe?!"

"Yes! If I cast any of the true destructive spells I know...your mind would cave in. You have mental focus and will, but you don't know how to control raw energy. It was risky enough even with the spells I did to block the teleportation in the castle! I'm just glad that strong moon crystals were available for what I needed to do!" he grumbled lightly. "You can't possibly cast the spells that I know."

"Then teach me. I will learn this. I'll learn whatever I can!"

"I don't know," Elvey admitted. "There is only one sure-fire way to do this, but I cannot make this decision on my own. Once you travel down the path to get to the level that I'm at...there is no return to the life you knew. You will see things that are unexplainable. You will hear things that you will have to fight off, lest they control you. You will feel things that will try to corrupt you. Fae magic can do this. You think Ambrosia's honey is hard to fight off? Wait until you try Fae magic in full."

"Who would you have to speak to in order to decide?" Robin asked.

"Tintagel. My brother-in-arms. I can bring him here. Would you like to meet him?" Elvey grinned now. Robin gaped with surprise, and Elvey focused with his eyes closed. In a flicker of sparkling light, Tintagel's form appeared in another chair. Silver hair neatly framed his face in front to shorten around the nape of his neck, and his golden eyes bore right into Robin's soul. His face was noble and demanded respect where it was due. More square in his jaw than Elvey's slender, oval one, he looked more like someone that could rip one apart than Elvey. Even his ears were a touch more pointed as though to show who was the better, but they were equals.

Gold colored cloth with dark blue trim was what he wore. From his shirt, to his pants, down to his lightly pointed boots, he was clearly royal all the way around. When he stood up, he was far more muscular than Elvey or Robin combined. He was a warrior and a fierce fighter, as well as an adept Mage. _He was even half a foot taller than Elvey!_ Now Robin knew why many steered clear of these two Fae men. _When they stood side by side, they gave off the feeling that death was watching them, and that Judgment was going to be made._

"Nice place you have here," Tintagel grinned, as he stood up.

"Brother," Elvey smiled, and they embraced. "Tintagel. It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too. Let's hope that Esmiralda does not have to be here," Tintagel sighed. His voice even shook Robin to the core with a commanding ring of leadership. "Now, boy. What do you plan to do with my daughter? The same one married to King Jericho?"

"I..." Robin faltered.

"He's only human, brother," Elvey giggled softly. "He wants to...bear his heart and body to her in full. Maybe even his soul, too. You know what that means."

"I do," Tintagel sighed grimly. "Robin, you would sacrifice much. Come and sit with us. We are all leaders here. Let us be on equal ground, shall we?"

"Okay," Robin nodded. He couldn't believe it.  _Elvey and Tintagel were calling me an equal!_

"He wants me to train him in the ways of the Battle Mage," Elvey said, as he sat down with Tintagel. The look on his face was clearly thoughtful and focused.

"Is that so? Interesting! But, to do that, you need to put in many hours of work. Hard work. Far more fierce than any physical training you have ever done. Now that you have a well of magic growing within you, it is quite possible that you will experience intense pain as it grows. You remember the mind melding, right? How your body was right after? Think of that same pain, but it comes and goes all the time. The moment it hits, you must fight it with everything you have! If you let it overcome you, it will show weakness. You will lose much of any magical abilities you gained. If you survive it, and show no symptoms when the pain leaves you, then you will gain more from what you overcame. It took Elvey ten years to finally show he could handle it," Tintagel chuckled.

"Such a thing is true," Elvey sighed.

"My eyes aren't blue, so I don't have the intense magical focus that others have. However, I am a rare case. Golden eyes are just as rare as deep blue ones. I couldn't learn the Battle Mage arts, but I learned magic that many others couldn't. I can adapt around magic and use it with no ill effects. Come to think of it, King Jericho is the same way. Elvey was showing promise the moment he turned one, and he was started in basic training the moment he was able. As it is, I knew him before he gained his full power, you see. Oh, don't give me that look! You know it! When you reached the title of Battle Mage, the fits truly started for you!"

"That may be so," Elvey frowned. "I was up most of the night with pain. I had no life mate to help ease me at the time. Essi could barely help me when the random fit came back! The fits always hit when I least expected it. All through my life. They just got more sparse, as I got used to them."

"I know," Tintagel nodded. "King Jericho is surprising. His mind easily works with the memories he gleaned from my crown before it died. The well in him from your crown is exceptionally powerful. He can even use your spells with no problems! He is a Mage Genius in the Fae Realm, and every bit as deadly as we were in life combined into one. As I said before, he appears to have my ability to adapt to magic and use it with no ill effects. I am glad that he is my daughter's husband."

"Robin has a small well in him now. It is weak, though."

"Thus, we can all talk."

"I just want to enhance myself. To grow into something more. At the same time, I want to help protect Ambrosia and my fellow Titans! Anything I can get, I want to use to the fullest!" Robin said.

"And now we hear the talk of youth," Tintagel sighed. "It's...possible that Elvey could teach you, but there is a big catch in this."

"What is that?" Robin asked. Tintagel gestured to Elvey to speak.

"You would need to see me as a father figure of sorts. This way, if you do something wrong, I won't feel bad about back-handing you properly," Elvey chuckled. "I know you already have a father figure. And I know what happened to your true parents, may they rest in peace. But, the knowledge that I have can only be passed down from father to son. In body, you will not see Ambrosia as a half-sister, thankfully, but, in mind, when it comes to training, you will need to see me as a father. It will be the only way for me to train you properly and correctly. I will be hard on you at times, but it will be for your own protection on what you need to learn. Tintagel can hone your defenses in small spars, and you could see him as a father figure, too. Or as an uncle. Whatever you would prefer from there."

Robin's face went blank at this.  _To accept another surrogate father? One that has years upon years of knowledge and experience?_  He was not being told that he had to do this. He wasn't being forced at all. He was being given a choice. It was the choice of a lifetime. If he wanted to learn this new way of life, then he needed to do it safely.

"How would we be when I'm not here? If I have to lead the Titans?" Robin asked.

"A guide. A mentor. You can think of me as an older brother. It's what I've been doing all along, as it is," Elvey said. "It seems to work best."

"And you can turn to me for advice, if you feel that this idiot hasn't been doing his job!" Tintagel grinned. Elvey scowled at him, and they both ended up laughing softly. The way Robin felt around them was calming.  _There was no stress in this. There was no attack to my moral._ It actually did feel like a father and an uncle having a brotherly spat, and the shock of it made him shiver.

"I want to, but I don't want to..." Robin admitted. "I just...don't know what to think of it."

"Do you need someone to help see the future ahead?" Tintagel sighed.

"You know what would happen, if I ask Essi to help with this," Elvey grimaced.

"I know all too well. Robin? What do you think? Should we have Essi use her powers as a seer to find out what the future holds for you?" Tintagel asked.

"If it...wouldn't be too much trouble? I just...I don't want to make a mistake that I will regret," Robin said. "I've done too many of those, and I don't want to hurt my friends. Or Ambrosia."

"Always thinking of others," Elvey smiled.

"Like a true leader would," Tintagel nodded. Robin was shocked again.  _I was praised?!_  He felt elated. "Elvey, call in my wife. Let's see if she can help us sort this tangled mess."

"As you say, brother," Elvey chuckled and focused slightly. The air shimmered again, and a beautiful Fae woman appeared in another chair. Her amethyst eyes shone out from her golden locks of hair, and her hands sat gently in her lap. She was wearing a puffy dress of purplish-cream, and her shoes resembled small, dainty slippers. That was when Robin realized they all lacked crowns.

"Why don't you all have crowns?" Robin asked.

"Because, young Robin, they have moved on to others. Why should we have them when we have no need of them? And my husband's has died. So, we let it rest in peace," Esmiralda said in a soft, dulcet tone. She kissed Tintagel now, and Elvey received a kiss next. "Now, why have you called me away from my daughter's mind?"

"I will explain," Elvey said, and he spoke to her swiftly in the Fae language. She listened and smiled warmly at everything. Ambrosia resembled her so much that Robin was wincing. Her face was much older and wiser, though.  _This was a true Queen of the Fae._

"You wish to bear yourself in full to my daughter?" she frowned now. "I see. If you do this, then you are telling her that you wish to belong to no one else. What of your life mate?"

"Starfire..." Robin sighed. "I don't want to hurt her. I do want to marry her."

"But, if you go with what you plan, your future marriage may be at risk. My daughter, actually, her crown, may accept you as one of her own. When a soul-mated crown makes a decision, no Court can overrule it. You may end up being a part of her marriage, and then you would need to take in some of her blood as she takes in some of yours. It can be very painful, young Robin," Esmiralda sighed.

"Seriously, Essi?! A soul-mated crown can make such a decision?!" Elvey gaped. "And with her being pregnant with Aelfric..."

"Robin's blood would merge within the developing child to make him a part of Robin, too," Tintagel finished with a wry thought. "The child won't gain any noticeable attributes, but he will have a slight portion of Robin's blood. He could become a Battle Mage, too, by inheriting a few of Robin's unique physical traits. I don't find that too much of a bad thing. However, my wife is right. You will need to ingest pure Fae blood. Directly from my daughter. It's almost like...oh...drinking straight acid to many. It may taste good at first, but, eventually, it will start to burn through you. She won't be able to heal you, either. You would need to ride out the pain and work with it in your own way."

"I...see..." Robin blinked. He was just stunned at what was being discovered.  _Her child could become mine, too?! I would need to drink her blood and give her mine in turn?!_  It was a lot to take in. He was told this by Jericho before, but hearing it come from these three powerful Fae seemed to hit hard. The three royals waited until he could speak again. "What would happen to the magic in my body?"

"If you survive this, it will grow. You may be able to regenerate the magic on your own, but Ambrosia's nectar would still be needed to 'deepen the water' so to speak. Right now, you have a trickle. Just enough for us to speak with you like this. You need to have something akin to a powerful ocean to do what I can. Like an inner spring fountain that always flows and ebbs. The trickle you have now could easily die off, if you cannot take to Ambrosia's blood. You will be in searing pain, as Fae blood merges with yours. There may even be a slight change in your looks. Not much, but enough for others to know that you're...different. Maybe your ears will have a small point to them. Your eyes will narrow a bit more. Even your hands will look far more delicate. Or, nothing will change at all," Elvey shrugged. "Your scent may change, though. That always happens, and many Fae will know who you are, if they recognize the change. It's rare for it to happen now, since not many humans can survive Fae blood."

"Dearest, what do you see? Can you see anything?" Tintagel asked.

"Hmm," Esmiralda thought and focused. "Young Robin, no matter what we say, you will go with what your heart desires. If you have Elvey assist with your marriage, then things will work. But, the moment you slip in your defenses, things will start to unravel. Elvey's sly tongue will keep things in check. Rely on him to answer any questions of the heart around Starfire. It will be the only way."

"So...he will go through with this? With Ambrosia?" Elvey frowned.

"It looks to be that way," she smiled sadly. "She will help him through the pain, and he will survive. Far faster than most humans, actually."

"Come to think of it, he survived faster with the second memory link," Tintagel mused.

"True!" Elvey blinked. "But, now comes the hard part, Robin. You need to decide on what you want to do with your training. Without knowing how to work with the magic, you  _will_  die! That's something I really don't want to happen. You won't know how to control the magic as it grows in you. I...can't make the decision for you on what you want. You must accept me as a father figure, or walk away from everything right now so I can cut things off. I will let you think on this."

"No. I don't have to think about it," Robin said, as he swallowed. "Father..."

"Robin..." Elvey sighed heavily. "Are you sure? I will never take the place of any other father figures that you held in high regard, but it's only for this training that it will be needed..."

"I know," Robin nodded. Elvey moved forward now and hugged him tight. Robin actually found himself tearing up, as he hugged him back. The hug he got was caring and protective. _Like a true father to a son._ The last time he felt this way was before that fateful night long ago when his parents were killed in a circus act. Such affection was something he thought he'd never feel again. If anything, his true surrogate father would praise him and ruffle his hair. He never really got something like this.

"In your dreams and in your training, we will be father and son. Otherwise, I will be a mentor and a guide, like an older brother," Elvey said. "I will show you how to protect yourself and others with this new way of life. Make me proud, my son!"

"I will, Father," Robin winced and pressed his face into his new surrogate father's chest. Elvey hugged him again, pressed a kiss to the top of his head, and stepped back to nod with a proud smile. Robin was now his son in the dream world and a brother outside of it.

"I  _will_  box your ears, if you upset Ambrosia!" Elvey warned now in a rather hard, fatherly tone.

"Ah..." Robin blinked. "I wouldn't even dream of doing that!"

"Elvey, back down! He needs to speak with her first. I'll inform King Jericho of everything. Esmiralda? What will you do, dearest? Will you tell our daughter?" Tintagel asked.

"No. She must learn this on her own," she nodded. The she looked at Robin and smiled warmly, as she said, "Young Robin, I welcome you into the world of the Fae. Here is some advice. Do not let your mind wander for too long. If it does, Elvey will need to pull you back. Do not ever drop your defenses! Learn from your mistakes. And, most importantly, don't forget who you really are."

"Yes. I understand," Robin smiled.

"Another bit of important knowledge for you is this. Let Elvey handle your love for Starfire. If she asks general questions, be yourself! But, if she starts to doubt you, let him handle it. And a fair warning, young Robin. If she goes to King Jericho for help with you, he may enchant her to help her feel that nothing is wrong. Such a thing should only be done as a last resort. It was...done to Queen Aethelwyne, you see. And everything was well and good for several years. That was until Elvey slipped in front of her and the enchantment ended. This happened when Aelfric was six years old. She managed to continue living until he was ten, and then she passed away from us," she frowned. "Tell our young High Warlock, Raven, everything. Let her learn more from King Jericho and Elvey, too. And do remember our young, valiant friend, Beast Boy. He will start to sense things from Ambrosia. He would need to know, as well. I am unsure of what will happen with him. The future...always seems to shift around him. It's like that with those that can't seem to make up their minds! But, his devotion to my daughter is fierce. This much, I definitely know."

"Beast Boy always changes his mind, so, I know what you're saying about his future. I'll have to let him know what happened here, and I will tell Raven, too. Should I wait until after I speak with Ambrosia? Or before I speak with her?" Robin asked.

"A just question!" Esmiralda beamed. "Hmm. Before. This way they can help with any changes you may start feeling, and they can understand the situation first. It will help."

"I'll do that," Robin nodded. He watched Elvey and Tintagel embrace her again before the dream ended as quickly as it appeared.


	18. Chapter 18

He woke up in his bed. He felt oddly refreshed and figured it was from Esmiralda. He moved around to dress, and he felt Elvey poke his mind. It was a reminder for him to keep quiet to Cyborg and Starfire.  _In time, Cyborg might be able to know, but, for now, the less that know the better._ He nodded and felt himself smiling. He hadn't felt this happy in a rather long time _. I have a new surrogate father that's going to teach me things I could only dream of. It would be in my dreams, too!_ It brought a rare form of excitement to him. He had another ancient King as an uncle now. He was quite sure that he could see Esmiralda as an aunt of sorts. It was simply amazing at how much Ambrosia gave him now. There was no way he could repay her for anything.

He walked out of his room and went to find Raven's room first. He knocked on it, and she opened the door a bit groggily.

"I was about to fall asleep. What is it?" she muttered.

"I talked with Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda!" he said with boyish excitement.

"What?! Get in here and tell me everything!" she gaped. He nodded and walked in. After an hour of careful discussion, she was floored. "Elvey...you accepted him as your father?!"

"Only in my dreams! He's like a brother outside of it to help me," he nodded.

"And Tintagel...and Esmiralda...wow..." she found herself grinning. "But, with Ambrosia...are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Esmiralda confirmed I'll live through it. As long as I let Elvey talk to Star when she gets upset, everything will be fine. I gotta let Beast Boy know. Otherwise, he'll find out through Ambrosia, and he'll start smacking me around as various animals if I don't tell him everything," Robin sighed.

"I'd actually like to see that," Raven smirked. He made a face at her, and she made one back. "I'll start looking through the books that I have and what I found in the library to help you. I'm sure you're going to love constant reading."

"I think Elvey has a way around that. I'll probably be reading with him in my dreams. Speed things along. Maybe. I'm not sure. It all will happen after I talk to Ambrosia. First, I need to talk to Beast Boy. I'm sure you'll know how everything went later on."

"What about Cyborg? Do we tell him?"

"Not right now. It's too risky. Let's wait until things settle down."

"Right. Okay," she nodded and let him out. He moved to Beast Boy's door and knocked on it. When there was no answer, he knocked again a bit harder. He heard a lot of grumbling, and a sleepy-eyed Beast Boy was glaring at him.

"Don't look at me like that! I just had a dream meeting with Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda! Wanna know about it?" Robin grinned. Beast Boy's eyes went wide, he squealed, and yanked him into the room. He was now sitting on the bed with rapt attention given. Robin told him everything with full detail, and Beast Boy was simply amazed.

"You know, this sounds like something  _I_  would be telling everyone and they wouldn't believe me!" Beast Boy pouted. "But, dude, are you serious about giving Ambrosia, well...everything about you? It does sound really dangerous. And, if you could die..."

"Like I told Raven, I'll be fine. Yes, she knows, too. Starfire and Cyborg don't know. Cyborg won't know just yet, and Starfire simply can't know. It would crush her. Esmiralda told me so," Robin frowned. "If I want everything to work, then we have to hide this from her. I hate it, but we have no choice. Cyborg might be let in on everything later. Until then, this stays between you, me, and Raven. Jericho will know, since Tintagel is going to talk to him."

"So...how did it feel when Elvey offered to be your dad?" he asked.

"At first, I wasn't sure. I didn't know how I would handle it. But...the more I talked to him...the more it just felt...right. It's the only way to explain it. And it's needed for me to learn the stronger stuff. The magic in me now...if it grows and I can't handle it...it'll kill me."

"Eh, yeah. Go the safe route," he agreed. "Um, what would have happened if you said no?"

"Elvey was going to cut everything off before it got too bad. I couldn't let it happen. I need this. I want to enhance my skills in everything. To not only get stronger, but to help against the Unseelie Court. And to protect the Titans! Most importantly...to protect Ambrosia."

"Hmm," Beast Boy frowned.

"What is it?" Robin asked him.

"I wonder," he thought. "if I was able to have magic, too. Would it improve my animal skills?"

"What?!" Robin gaped.

"I dunno. Just a random thought. But...well...the unicorn and dragon and stuff. You would think that I should be able to do more with them. Dragons breathe fire. I don't. Unicorns have magic stuff. I don't. Ambrosia gave you magic with that honey stuff in her. I wonder if she can do the same for me. I don't want to really belong to her like you, but, well..."

" _I see,_ " Robin said, as Elvey came out to help with this. " _You think that Ambrosia could 'awaken' hidden abilities in your special forms. Right?_ "

"Yes! That's it! Just what you said!" Beast Boy nodded. "I promise that, if it does happen, I won't be stupid with them. I'll only use them to protect her and my friends. You have my promise!"

" _We'll have to bring it up to her,_ " he nodded. " _This could be quite beneficial. Just remember. Her nectar has Robin addicted. It may not be like that with you now, but, if she does give you magic, it could become just like that. I'm giving you fair warning._ "

"Okay. What happens now?"

" _Robin needs to talk to Ambrosia. After he does, I'll see if King Jericho can come here for you. I'm sure he will. He may be curious. I'm heading to the castle now. We'll see you in a bit,_ " he nodded.

"Okay!" Beast Boy grinned. Robin pulled out a moon crystal and teleported to the nearby castle before going to Ireland. When he got there, he appeared outside the safe room and knocked on the door. At the mental prod to approach quietly, Robin took a deep breath and walked in. The door closed securely behind him. He saw Jericho and Ambrosia in the bed, and he smiled.

"Interesting dream?" Jericho asked with a hushed chuckle.

"Tintagel told you everything, I presume?" he asked, as he sat in a chair nearby.

"Yes. All of it. You have me worried."

"I know. Elvey is worried, too. How is Ambrosia?"

"As you can see, she sleeps," Jericho smiled and kissed his wife's forehead, as she slept on him. "You're sure you want to go through with this? Despite the risks?"

"I have to, Jericho," Robin frowned. "If I don't, the growing magic will start to hurt me."

"All too true," he sighed. "If she does accept you as hers..."

"I know. Aelfric will gain some of my blood. I think Elvey wants it to happen. I know Tintagel does! He thinks it would be best."

"Tell me about it!" he grumbled. "There was something that wasn't told to you, though. On what happens after you exchange blood."

"What?" Robin asked.

"Like Beast Boy, you'll gain a link with her. You'll know where she is at all times. Also, you'll know if she really needs you. Beast Boy works with animal instincts. They can be impulsive. You've seen this. You can decide if her need is great, or if it's a simple hug she wants. You don't have to give in to her wishes. She'll likely only contact you if she's in trouble, though. She doesn't want to rely on others for help, if she can avoid it. Just wanted to let you know. I know there's more, but you'll find out later. I don't want to spoil everything for you," he grinned ruefully.

"It's good to know! And it's fine. I'll find out what I need to know when it's done. Don't worry about that! What will you do while I'm with her?"

"I'll talk to Beast Boy and get a better idea on what he wants. Help him figure out a few things with more detail, and possibly research different mythical monsters with him," Jericho nodded. "Darling? I'm sorry to wake you, but can you move aside a moment? I need to do something. Thank you, love."

She groaned a bit and fell back to sleep on the massive pillows after she moved. Jericho chuckled and nodded to Robin. He got up and dressed, as Robin undressed. When he teleported away, Robin climbed into the bed. She reached for him to pull close and cuddle into.

"Jericho? You're back already?" she muttered. "Hmm? Oh!"

"It's all right," Robin smiled. "Beast Boy has an interesting idea, and Jericho went to find out more. It's okay. I was actually hoping to talk to you a bit."

"Now? Oh..." she blinked and sat up to stretch. She was wearing a rather light, filmy pink gown, and she yawned again. "About what?"

"About us," Robin said with a soft smile, as he took her hands. She blinked at him and frowned.

"I don't follow."

"I want to give myself to you, Ambrosia. My heart. My body. My mind. Everything."

"No!" she gaped, and he pulled her to him. "Do you know what you're asking, Robin?! I cannot accept you like that! I simply...no! I cannot!"

"Ambrosia, I spoke with Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda in my dreams. Your nectar gave me a trickle of magic now. Within me. It let me talk to the three of them at length!"

"What?!" she gasped with shock. He told her everything now. She couldn't believe what she was hearing! _My parents approve of him?! Elvey sees him as a son in dreams now?!_

"So, you see...I have their approval," Robin smiled.

"They...were the Council, then. If they approved..." she shivered, and her crown sparked out. She gasped and cringed. He hugged her and knew all too well that her crown approved, too.  _She can't decline me now. If she did, her crown would make her feel depressed until she agreed._

"Ambrosia..." he sighed. She trembled and pressed a hand to his cheek. He pulled her close to kiss her hard. He was going to give her his body first.  _It was the easiest thing to do, wasn't it?_ She needed him now to feel reassured and comforted. After they gave themselves to each other, he rested on her. She moved a hand through his hair, and he shivered.

"Robin..." she whispered.

"I just gave you my body," he whispered back.

"Not in full," she frowned.

"Oh? Oh! I see. Then...I'll give you my mind, and it will lead to the rest of my body," he nodded. He shifted around, as he pulled her close to let her rest on his chest. He had her press her hands into his, and he began to whisper to her of his past. He told her of his earliest memories and about his life in the circus to show how he started in acrobatics. He struggled through the death of his parents leading up to his surrogate father. He described his upbringing in training before he was able to start doing things on his own to help others. He talked about how he met the other Titans. He talked about his battles and how he trained further. He curbed his anger when he talked about Slade, too. Every secret he ever had, he whispered to her. He laid his mind and soul bare to her, and she listened to everything he said.

"I grieve for the loss of your parents, Robin," she frowned and hugged him.

"It's fine now," he said, as he hugged her back. "But, now I...want you do to something for me."

"Yes?" she asked. He sat up with her and put her hands over his mask. She blinked with surprise at what he wanted her to do for him.

"I'm giving you everything about me," he shivered with a bit of excitement. "Everything! And...when you take this off...whisper this to me in my ear..."

He pressed his mouth close to her ear to whisper his true name to her. She smiled with a nod and carefully pulled the mask away from his eyes. She leaned in close and whispered to him of how much she loved him as she said his name. He gave a sharp cry and kissed her desperately. Now he gave her his heart. _I want to be hers. To belong to her. To worship her. She is my Queen, and I will serve her in any way she needed me. I would die to protect her._

Much later, he had his face pressed into her neck. His eyes were hidden this way. He didn't want to be exposed like this to anyone other than her.

"Robin," she whispered and ran a hand over his cheek.

"Mmm?" he responded with a blissful smile.

"It...is time for the pain," she winced. He slipped his mask back on and blinked at the knife she conjured up.  _It wasn't an ordinary knife. It was a Fae ritual dagger._ It was colorful all over the hilt, and it was decorated with elaborate gold markings and moon crystals. The blade was different. It was the same color as dark red blood. She looked at him with worry and sighed.

"What must I do?" he asked.

"Give me your wrist first. Taking blood from you is easy," she sighed. He gave her his wrist without hesitation and winced at the cut she made on the artery. She pulled three full mouthfuls from him, and he watched her do it with small, nervous pants. She healed him right after and then revealed her own wrist. She was just as nervous as he was, and she could already feel his blood merging in her body.

"How much?" he asked.

"Three mouthfuls. No more than that," she said, as she shivered. He frowned at her shivering, but he nodded. She opened her wrist for him, and he pressed his mouth to her wound. _Her blood was molten hot honey._ He sucked down the first mouthful with no problem. The second swallow started to make him feel hot, as her blood seemed to start boiling down his throat. With the third swallow, he forced it down when it seared through him. She healed herself and had him lay back. _Acid._ Tintagel told him that Fae blood was like acid. He could feel it coursing through him furiously and forcing his blood to accept it. He wracked with pain, and all she could do was press against him. He thought getting beaten up and down by enemies was painful enough. He thought the pain he felt after the mind link was the worst pain he ever felt in his life.  _I was dead wrong._

"This...is...!" he gasped, as his body forced him into a fetal position.

"I know," she said sadly and cradled him. "I am here, Robin."

He cried out, as her Fae blood was felt coursing through his limbs. He clung to her, as his body started to sweat profusely as though to expel it. He started coughing when his lungs started to get affected with his internal organs. He shouted the moment the pain hit his groin. But, it was when it reached his heart that the real pain started. He screamed and struggled for air, as his heart felt like it was racing with adrenaline to a whole new height. He felt weak, air deprived, and his body didn't want to work for him at all. This was how many humans died. It was at this point that their hearts gave out, but Robin was muscling through it with his enhanced training and will power. It was excruciatingly painful. He needed a focus.

"Ambrosia!" he whimpered and panted hard.

"Hush, love. I'm here," she whispered.

"Love...?" he gasped.

"Yes, Robin. My dearest Robin..." she whispered with a smile. On hearing this, he grunted and forced the pain back. He no longer fought it. He welcomed it. His head was pounding when he focused, but the feel of her hands in his hair helped him overcome this, too. She was his strength now. She was his life. He would survive this, because of one thought that raced through his head. _I. Am. Hers._

"I love you, Ambrosia..." he whispered with a hoarseness in his throat.

"I love you, Robin," she said, as she kissed him with a soft tenderness. The change in his body was almost done. Now he needed sleep. He pulled her close with pained movements, and she moved closer to him. When he fell asleep, it wouldn't be for another three hours that he would wake with her.


	19. Chapter 19

When he came to, he felt strange. He felt lighter.  _Stronger._  That was the first thing he noticed. The second thing was his Queen. My _Queen._ Ambrosia was nestled against his chest, and now he was gazing at the ceiling as though enjoying the feel of her. There was no pain anymore. _It was as though there never was._ Then he blinked, as he thought he heard something. He noticed it was the ticking of the grandfather clock.  _I can actually hear the gears moving inside it!_ He started to smell various things, too. He didn't know that silk, marble, or gold had scents before. He started to taste something, and he grinned. His tongue was still slightly coated with her honey blood. It didn't hurt him anymore, and he savored it. _It had a far more concentrated taste, but it was nothing like her nectar._   _Her nectar..._

"Ambrosia," he whispered and kissed her passionately. She pulled him close, and now he guzzled down the nectar he craved. When he knew he had enough, he kissed her softly, and she blinked open her eyes. He gazed at her now and wanted to hold his breath. Now he saw why every Fae wanted her.  _Her beauty couldn't be explained in mere words. It couldn't be caught in a painting. Her skin was simply glowing with life. Her eyes were sparkling with the depth that only the deepest blue sapphires could hold. Even her hair was shimmering with an enchanting touch of mysticism._

"Are you okay, Robin?" she frowned.

"My Queen," he muttered and kissed her gently.

"Robin! Do not call me such a thing!" she frowned.

"When we are alone, I will," he said. "Not in front of any others."

"All right, then," she nodded and rested against him. "But, honestly, Robin. How do you feel?"

"I feel amazing..." he said with a smile. "Absolutely amazing!"

"Really?" she smiled.

"Really," he chuckled. "So much has opened up to me now! I didn't know how sharp my senses could be. I can hear the clock ticking and moving from here!"

"Now you know how the Fae can hide from humans. We can always hear them coming!" she giggled. "And we can smell them and see them from great distances. Everything may seem very overwhelming right now, but this will pass. You'll notice that things were not always what they seemed to be before. You may walk by someone that you thought was nothing, but now you may notice little things about that person. It could be their hair or their teeth...even the colors of their eyes. It's very easy to get fascinated with such things. You need to remember how to override these things, or you'll become distracted. It can be dangerous."

"And I'm sure that's where Elvey will come in and snap me out of it," he sighed.

"I wouldn't doubt it," she said. She stretched against him, and he hugged her.

"Do I look any different, my Queen?" he asked.

"No. You look the same. Aside from feeling stronger, I take it?" she giggled. He loved hearing the sound of her voice. It was a soft, twinkling chime that he'll never get tired of hearing.

"And lighter, too," he nodded.

"All the better for moving with," she beamed at him.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she blushed. They kissed and joined together as a true husband and wife. There was no way that he would ever even think of letting her leave his life now. The sensations he felt with her had a whole new meaning. Everything felt far more real and intense. It was almost too hard for him to keep focus, as it was. Even her sharp cries excited him to a whole new level of passion.

"Jericho is probably waiting to come back," he sighed, as he held her after the pleasure ebbed away. She seemed to sigh and ran a finger over his arm.

"I'm sure he is," she nodded. He groaned at the feel of her hands moving over his chest now, and he kissed her softly. It was now that he realized how much Jericho hated the thought of others wanting to be with her.  _I won't let anyone other than Jericho, Beast Boy, or myself touch her._ He refused to think of it happening. At her curious glance at him, he gave out a small growl.

"No one other than myself, Jericho, or Beast Boy is going to touch you. You know this," he muttered. "No one else is worthy of the part!"

"Darling," she smiled, and he felt his heart melt at the endearment. "I wouldn't want to be with any others. This is something I already know."

He sat up and pulled her into his lap.  _I love her so much!_  He could feel the pulse of her blood under her smooth, honey-scented skin. He could hear the quickening of her heart and could smell the scent of her rising passion. Now he understood why Jericho wanted to be alone with her after the wedding.  _She was simply irresistible!_ He kissed her to drink down a little more of her rich, life-giving nectar. He'll never get enough of it now.

"My Queen," he muttered against her mouth. "what do you wish of me?"

"What should I wish of you?" she whispered against his mouth. Her honey breath made his senses scream with desire.

"Anything. Everything!" he growled out and kissed her. "I am yours! At your command..."

"Mine...?" she smiled, and he nodded, as they kissed again. "And Starfire?"

"Who?" he asked. Now she looked at him and frowned.

"Starfire! Your true life mate!" she said with concern. "Robin, don't tell me you forgot!"

"Ah..." he winced and shook his head. "I actually didn't...recognize her name..."

"This can be bad, Robin," she winced back. "You need to be careful about this!"

"I know. I lost myself for a moment," he sighed.

"You asked me what I wish of you. Well, don't forget about her. She loves you dearly, Robin. I don't want to see her hurt, and you vowed to marry her. So, you  _will_  marry her!" she said sternly. "And you will love her as much as you love me!"

"Yes, my Queen," he nodded.

"Mother told me everything while you were recovering, so you must remember her warning to you. Be yourself!" she smiled. "Soon my husband will be here with Beast Boy. You  _must_  be yourself. No matter the new changes within you. Yes, they may know, but you cannot show that your mind has changed like this. It could ruin everything for you, and I don't want that. Please, Robin..."

"It's all right," he smiled and placed his hands in hers. "I'm fine. You want me to be myself. So, I will be myself. Don't worry. I got this."

"I hope so, Robin," she sighed. "I really hope so."

"Trust me," he soothed and kissed her gently. "Ah, there was something I was curious about. Elvey wore this very simple pendant in the past..."

"Oh! I know what you speak of. After he died, um, Mother actually hid it away. It's in the portrait above the bed, in the frame. I never knew where it was, but she told me in case you asked for it. I could never figure out how to get it, but...if you can get it...it's yours to wear and to keep. It would be best considering the circumstances..." she blushed. Now he kissed her and dressed in his pants before standing up on the bed to study the portrait frame. He found one oddly shaped link that was cleverly hidden, and he pressed it. A small compartment opened up, and the pendant fell into his hand. He closed up the frame and examined the pendant.

It was a two-inch wide circular moon stone that was flawless in creation. Its dark blue depth matched Ambrosia's eyes perfectly, but it was the condition it was in that shocked Robin. _It was fully charged and ready to use._ A pendant of this quality and color was as rare as the moon stone in her crown. Elvey had personally charged this moon stone with his own energy before he died. He could feel the power pulsing within the pendant. He shivered and found himself slipping it over his neck. The chain seemed to adjust to a length automatically so that it would never be removed from that point forward.

"It bonded to me!" Robin gasped.

"It did?! Oh, my!" she blinked. He sat on the bed with her now.  _The pendant accepted me as Elvey's new son._  He'll end up hiding it under his clothes and would only bring it out when he had to.

"Hmm," Robin thought. "So...I am truly a part of your marriage now?"

"Yes," she sighed. "You are an extension of myself now. You gave yourself to me and survived my blood. There is so much that you sacrificed, Robin..."

"I know," he said and pulled her close. "and I don't regret any of it."

"Don't abuse your new gifts."

"Never."

"Don't forget who you are."

"You'll never have to worry about that," he smiled and hugged her. He looked up, as Jericho appeared with Beast Boy. Now Robin paused at the sight of Jericho. There was so much about him that he never saw until now, and Jericho chuckled.

"I take it that you have some Fae blood in you. Good. You'll be able to see things much clearer now. Like I do, because of my crown," Jericho nodded.

"You actually resemble Tintagel with your stance," Robin mused.

"Really? Wonderful! Maybe this will keep those old prunes from trying anything," he grinned.

"Robin?" Beast Boy frowned. "You smell...different."

"Well, you just smell!" Robin smirked.

"Not cool, dude!" Beast Boy scowled.

"Robin!" Ambrosia frowned, and he started laughing. Jericho found himself laughing now.

"Sorry, Beast Boy. Seriously, though, what do I smell like to you?" Robin asked.

"It's like...the forest. Kinda. Um...like you've been hiking a lot. It's weird," Beast Boy admitted. "Anyways, Ambrosia, I was wondering if you could give me magic, too."

"Why?" she frowned.

"It may work differently with him when it comes to his animal forms. His dragon form may be able to breathe fire," Jericho said. That made her blink.

"I don't know," she admitted, as she pulled the covers up a bit more.

"Can we try?" Beast Boy asked hopefully. Robin got up to dress fully, and Jericho stopped him.

"Elvey's pendant?!" Jericho gaped, as he saw it on Robin's chest.

"Ah, yeah. It was hidden away in the frame of the portrait of Ambrosia and her parents. I got it out, and it, eh...bonded to me," Robin shrugged with a grin.

"Robin...that pendant is now like a crown, if it did that!" Jericho said with shock.

"What?!" Robin blinked.

"That pendant can only be worn by true Fae royalty! But...you did take Ambrosia's blood, and Elvey did claim you as his son and brother. I guess it would make sense that it chose you," he sighed.

"It's my proof of..." Robin started and felt stunned.  _The pendant was my proof of Fae royalty._   _I didn't need a crown!_ He started to shake, and his body suddenly wracked with intense pain.

"Robin!" Ambrosia winced and pulled him into her arms. "Hush, darling! Hush! I'm here..."

"That's right. You'll get random fits now," Jericho grimaced. "Fight through it, Robin! Don't give in, or you'll lose mental stamina!"

"Whoa..." Beast Boy blinked. Robin gasped for air, but it was Ambrosia's touch and love that fueled him to control it. He coughed when the pain left him, and he took in several deep breaths of air.

"I'm starving now!" Robin growled. A jar of concentrated Fae honey was tossed to him, and he caught it without thinking. Beast Boy gaped at this.

"How did you do that?!" he asked.

"I heard it coming towards me. I knew when it was close enough," Robin said and put a finger-full of honey in his mouth. His hunger vanished instantly, and he sighed with relief.

"You heard it?!" Beast Boy gaped.

"Yeah. There's a lot of different things I can do now, Beast Boy. Her blood honed my senses to a whole new level. It's...unbelievable," he smiled. She blushed softly, and he kissed her gently when he finished dressing. "If it wasn't for her being here, I don't think I would have survived the pain I felt last night. It was the worst pain I had ever felt in my life."

"Really?" he frowned.

"Yeah. Tintagel was right. Fae blood is like acid after three swallows. You don't want to go through what I felt. You saw me after the mind link happened. This was ten times worse than that," Robin frowned. Beast Boy's jaw dropped, as he clearly had no idea.

"Well, we have about an hour before people start moving about at the Tower. If you want nectar, Beast Boy, you'd better get it," Jericho said.

"Ah..." Beast Boy started, and he gazed at Ambrosia, as she reached for him. He moved to her side and snuggled into her. She tilted his face to hers and kissed him. The moment his mouth filled with nectar, he swallowed it down. He took five full swallows before she broke away. Jericho moved to hold her and help her rest. Robin watched Beast Boy as he coughed and winced.

"Beast Boy? Are you all right?" Robin asked.

"Wait..." he said, as he coughed again. "What a head rush! Wow! Eh...why do I feel tingly?"

"Change into a small dragon form and see what happens," Jericho mused, as he sat down on the bed to comfort his wife better. She snuggled into him and watched Beast Boy change. He focused and snorted, but nothing came out.

"Hmm. Think about protecting Ambrosia," Robin said. That got a bit of steam to emerge at the next snort. "Okay. Now think that she's in danger."

Beast Boy snarled, and a small tendril of flame emerged. Then he yelped, as he lightly burned his own muzzle. Robin laughed at this with Ambrosia and Jericho. Beast Boy grumbled and tried again. He had to focus on the flame to be immune in his mouth. He also needed to practice on angling it right. It took a few tries, but he managed to get the small flame in a perfect cone. He flew over to Ambrosia's lap, and she healed his lightly burned snout.

"I'm going to be scared when you turn into a bigger one," Jericho grinned. Beast Boy gave a small snicker and purred, as he curled up in her lap.

"You might need to refuel on her nectar. Use the flame sparingly. I'm not sure how your other forms would work, but let's do one at a time. The dragon is a good start, since you can use it as a battering ram, escape vessel, and attacker," Robin said. Beast Boy nodded at this.

"The unicorn is constant magic. You'll need to be careful with that one. All of the magic is usually stored in the horn. You could use it as a power meter to see how much you have left," Jericho mused. "Anyways, you two need to get back. I'm sure my wife and I will show up later. Oh, Robin, I beefed up the crystal defenses. We'll need to see to the small castle at some point today."

"We'll plan for it. You also need to go to the zoo to get the zebra," Robin said.

"Right," he nodded. "Ambrosia? Are you feeling well?"

"I'm good," she nodded. He smiled and hugged her with a small sigh.

"Come on, Beast Boy," Robin said. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Eh..." Beast Boy said when he reverted back to human. "Not really. I'll probably nap during the day, if I can. I'll keep the flame a secret, though. I don't wanna have to show it off and waste it."

"That's...very sensible of you!" Robin blinked with a grin. He made sure his pendant was under his clothes, and he teleported himself and Beast Boy away. Jericho looked at his wife and frowned.

"Dear?" she frowned back.

"I really hope he doesn't forget about Starfire," he admitted.

"He did briefly. I...made him promise to never forget her," she said with a wince.

"Seriously?! He forgot about her? Well, if you made him remember her...that may save him."

"I know. He asked what I wanted of him, and I told him to always love her as much as he loved me. I see Starfire as a sister of sorts. I don't want her hurt. It should never have come to this."

"I know, love. You never wanted any of this. In a way, it was all forced, but everyone knew the risks. There were plenty of warnings given before anything was set in stone. Robin is an incredible human. The way he recovered is...absolutely impossible. No human should have been able to recover as fast as he had! He has intense focus and will."

"It comes from being a natural leader. He focuses more on protecting others rather than himself."

"And, one day, it will get the better of him. Hopefully, his enhanced senses will delay that. And Elvey will keep him on his toes, too! Are you tired, dearest?"

"I am," she nodded slightly.

"I'll move us into our bedroom," he smiled and rose up with her in his arms. He focused for the bed to be made and the room to be cleaned up. Then he teleported them into their bedroom to rest a bit longer so she could regain her strength. Back at the Tower, Robin was studying the city satellite screen with a whole new form of perception. While he did this, Elvey had him focus on how it used to look for good practice. It was kept up until he heard Cyborg walking over.

"Robin! There you are! What're you up to?" Cyborg grinned, as he walked up with a stretch.

"Just making sure the city is peaceful," Robin grinned back.

"It's all good! You look better, by the way."

"Thanks. I feel better, too. Much better."

"Oh? Something happen?"

"Just had some good dreams."

"Always a good thing! What about?"

"Now, if I tell you that, then they won't come true."

"Aw, that's just superstition! You can tell me anything!"

"Are you sure?" Robin chuckled. "You might be surprised."

"Dude, after all the craziness that's been going on, I don't know if I have any more shock for surprises. And that's the truth."

"Well..." Robin mused. "there's a catch."

"Oh? Lay it on me!"

"Starfire can't ever know what I'm going to tell you," Robin said seriously. "It would hurt her."

"Oh..." Cyborg blinked at this. "Ambrosia?"

"Always," Robin sighed and rubbed his forehead. Raven appeared with Beast Boy, and they sat down in chairs by Robin. Cyborg now realized that he was being sworn in from the looks of it. At what happened next, his thoughts were right on the money.

"Promise us you won't spill your guts," Raven said.

"Star will get hurt bad if she knows," Beast Boy frowned. "Oh...Raven? Eh...Robin survived it. As you can see. So..."

"I'll have some books ready," Raven chuckled. Robin nodded and looked at Cyborg's blank face.

"Beast Boy, make sure Star is sleeping and watch her door," Robin said calmly. He nodded, turned into a fly, and buzzed off. At the affirmative squeak of a rat to continue, Robin looked at Cyborg and muttered, "I dreamt of a meeting last night. With Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda."

"Are you for real?!" Cyborg gaped.

"Yes. Ambrosia's nectar gave me magic. A very deadly form of magic if I couldn't control it. I...accepted Elvey as a brother, and as a father figure. It was the only way he could teach me how to control it. In dreams, I'm his son now," Robin said. "Esmiralda looked into the future and warned me of various things. Also, in order for me to enhance my magic growth, I had to do something that could have killed me instantly. I had no idea of the pain that was involved..."

"What did you do?" Cyborg frowned now.

"I gave myself to Ambrosia in full. I...belong to her, Cyborg. I exposed my mind to her. I gave her everything that made me what I am. In return...well...she took some of my blood, and I took some of hers to seal it," Robin said carefully. "She didn't want it to happen, but Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda approved. Ambrosia's crown approved. She couldn't say no after that."

"And Star?! What will happen to her?!"

"I still love her, Cyborg! I had to do this, or the magic that's developing in me would have killed me off! I had no other choice!" he growled. Cyborg grimaced at this, but Raven's soft sigh made him look at her. He knew she didn't approve, either, but it was something that had to be done.

"I should punch you out now to save me the stress of it later!" Cyborg grumbled.

"If you can. The Fae blood she gave me honed my senses to their peak now. I can actually hear all of your joints moving when you shift your arm around. So...if I hit here..." Robin said, as he took out his pole in a lightning-quick move and struck a centimeter away from the shoulder joint. He didn't even have to stand up to do this. Cyborg's arm came off without any problems and clattered to the ground. Cyborg was gaping, and so was Raven. There was no damage done to the arm at all. Robin simply magnified the vibration to shake it loose from the socket. The locks that held it in place didn't recognize the vibrating effects and released the arm as a fail-safe.

"That's impossible!" Cyborg said, as he was still gaping.

"I know. But, it's what I can do now. I can hear the buzzing from Beast Boy's wings, as he shifts the air with them. I can feel the footsteps that Raven makes when she walks to my left," Robin said and Raven paused with shock in her movements. "I can even smell the steak you ate before you came out here on your breath, Cyborg. And you didn't even heat it up. Hmm...you used extra spicy hot sauce?"

"Ah..." he blinked and muttered, as he picked up his arm to lock it back into place. "You are crazy, Robin!"

"I know," Robin chuckled. "But, I got all of this to help defend the Titans and to protect the Fae race. And it was to save my own life. Jericho actually said that I was the first human to recover so fast."

"What is Fae blood like?" Raven asked.

"Acid. Hot acid. At first, it was hot honey. But, it just got hotter and eventually cooked me from the inside out! At least, it felt that way," Robin grimaced. "I only took three swallows."

"Acid, huh?" Cyborg frowned. "I don't want to know what it could do to me!"

"Don't even think about it!" Robin said quickly. "I still get fits from the pain now and then. That's just from the magic, itself, too. I have to fight off the pain, or it will hurt my mental stability. They come at random. Eventually, they might wear off, but I have no idea when the next one will happen. You don't want this. Trust me. You don't."

"Geez, Robin!" he grimaced. "You really got yourself in a whole new level of hurt!"

"There are plenty of rewards, though. Like you always say. No pain, no gain," Robin chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed. "So, Star can't know?"

"She can probably know of the dream vision. That I talked to Elvey, and that I accepted him as a dad, brother, and mentor. And that I talked to Tintagel and Esmiralda. But, that should be the most. Nothing else. We can't risk it," Robin said.

"That would work," Raven nodded. "I would admit that I've been wanting to speak with Elvey."

" _I'm right here,_ " Robin said, as his tone got lighter. " _What do you need?_ "

"Oh!" she blinked and Cyborg chuckled. "I was reading one of the advanced spell books, and I'm confused about a passage. Could you explain it to me?"

" _It would be good for Robin to know. Bring the book to me, and I'll go over it with you,_ " he nodded. " _Cyborg? I have a question for you._ "

"Go ahead," he nodded. Raven left to get the book, as Robin relaxed his body.

" _What's going on with the nectar that was pulled from Ambrosia?_ "

"I actually have quite a bit left over," Cyborg said. "I made booster shots for everyone. I figured that, if something happened, we could inject the nectar. It's all the same thing. There is no separate form to it. It's just...life! It's incredible. It's impossible to replicate, so, if I need more, we'll need Ambrosia."

" _Can you make a few vials of it to give to me? If Robin starts craving her nectar, he'll need them. I feel that this will be important, if he can't reach her._ "

"Oh! Yeah. I'll do that now."

" _Thanks,_ " he smiled and sighed. He leaned back in the chair and watched the screen silently. He looked over, as Raven walked in with the heavy book. She opened up the dusty pages and pointed at a particular set of words. He studied it silently and ran his fingers over the words, as he mouthed them.

"I don't understand how it works with the rest of passage," she frowned.

" _This is an advanced spell for binding another to one spot,_ " he explained. " _It's not supposed to make sense. Some spells are meant to be confusing. If you see it as something that doesn't make sense, it means the spell is not ready to be learned. You are not at the right level of power to use it effectively. You're close, if you can read most of it, but not quite there. Try a few spells from the front of the book and work with them first. Make sure you understand everything you read. If something doesn't make sense, have Robe help you. You're still in training, but you're progressing quickly. Keep it up!_ "

"Thanks, Elvey!" she grinned. He chuckled and gave her the book back. He actually felt useful again, and the feeling was relieving. Robin gave him a mental smile and one was given in return.

" _Locked away for so long..._ " he muttered. " _Unable to do anything, but watch from afar. Fae that are killed unjustly cannot rest, Robin. We watch and linger in the sidelines. Everything else is ignored. I couldn't focus on what was happening around me. I've been glaring at Sinlus for decades. Even as my body died and my soul was severed, I haunted him. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one to do this, too. So much of our culture has been lost! No one cares for the spirits of the dead. Now...you give me the chance to strike back! I am so grateful to you..._ "

"Robin! Elvey? Eh...here. You confuse me," Cyborg sighed and handed over the precious vials of golden fluid. They were taken, and one was drunk down quickly. Robin seemed to sigh with relief and took a deep breath.  _My drug._   _No other creature should ever want this._ Beast Boy could contain himself. Others would be able to contain themselves. He couldn't. The moment he tasted her kiss, he was undone. There was no way he could have pulled himself away from the potency it held.

"Thanks," Robin said. "I'll have to see if I can refill the vials."

"I'm sure you can," Cyborg said, as he pulled up a chair to sit down. "I'm curious."

"About what?" he asked and reclined in his chair.

"The meeting you had with the three of them. What was it like?"

"They treated me as an equal, Cyborg. It was something I don't think I'll ever forget. I mean...I was talking to three of the most powerful beings in the Fae Realm, and they saw  _me_  as an equal! And now...with Elvey as a brother and a father...it's one of the most incredible feelings I've ever had."

"But, do you have any proof of this? That Elvey claimed you as his son?"

"Look at this," Robin grinned and took out the pendant. Cyborg's jaw dropped. "This is Elvey's pendant, and it accepted me. Elvey charged this himself before he died. I wore something like this at the test gala, but it was mainly illusion. This is the real deal."

"I've never seen a moon crystal of this structure! It's like the one in Ambrosia's crown," he said, as he studied it closer. "It's flawless, right?"

"Very," Robin nodded.

"And it matches her eyes. And Elvey's, too," he chuckled.

" _The power it can hold is ten times more potent than a normal moon crystal at full charge,_ " Robin said, as Elvey came out. " _The crystal in Ambrosia's crown can hold up to twice as much from the size._ "

"Wow!"

" _And I am_ not _blowing this one up!_ " Robin grinned. " _Think of it as a nuclear bomb._ "

"Ah...yeah. Don't blow it up!" Cyborg blinked.

" _Seriously. It could level this entire city flat, and no one would live._ "

"I get it!" Cyborg muttered and ran a hand over his half-bald head. "But, Robin, you really gave yourself to her? Completely? I mean...what are the consequences?"

"Other than pain fits, there really aren't any. I know where she is at all times. I can feel if she needs me. My senses are honed to a whole new level, and I can properly start using magic. There was something else, too. When she took my blood...Aelfric will be a bit of my son, too."

"Huh?!"

"Yeah.  _Nothing_  is going to touch Ambrosia!" Robin growled. He looked over at Beast Boy, as he buzzed into the room and reverted human.

"She's waking up," he said. Robin nodded and reclined back in the chair.

"Have you eaten?" Cyborg asked, as he moved to head towards the kitchen.

"Yeah. I'm good for now," Robin said. Starfire peeked in, and he waved at her with a warm smile. "Hey, Star! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes! Very well! And you?" she smiled and sat by him.

"I had a very awesome dream," he grinned.

"Oh?!" she beamed. He told her about his meeting with the powerful Fae, and how Elvey was now going to train him in magic. She was surprised and very happy for him.

"So, I'm going to be very busy. Both awake and in sleep," he sighed.

"Well, if you need my assistance for anything..." she smiled.

"I know. I'll definitely call for you," he grinned. She kissed his cheek to make him blush and skipped off happily to the kitchen. Beast Boy sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"Ya better hope this is all she knows!" he warned.

"I know," Robin nodded. "Trust me. I know this all too well. Ambrosia ordered me to love Starfire as much as I love her. I can't refuse it."

"You take orders?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Yeah. She's my Queen now," Robin sighed. "But, I got this. I'm fine."

"You better be!" he muttered. Robin gave him a funny look, and Beast Boy made a face at him before moving to the kitchen to do his daily breakfast battle. Just as the screaming reached a whole new pitch, Robin stood up with a furious look in his eyes.  _My Queen was getting assaulted by teleporting attacks. It was nightfall in Ireland now._  Beast Boy had suddenly stopped in his engrossed charade, and he let out a heavy roar when his form shifted into a lion. He felt her fear.

"BB?! I...eh..." Cyborg blinked.

" _The castle! Heavy teleporting is trying to happen! These Fae men are trying to smash down the spells with force!_ " Robin scowled, as Elvey emerged. " _I have to go defend the castle!_ "

"I'm going, too!" Beast Boy growled out when he reverted back to human. He took out his red crystal, and Robin grabbed hold of him to head there with him. When they got there, he could feel the bombarding of Fae men bouncing off the castle spell wards.

" _Damn you, Orin!_ " Robin seethed. Elvey now started to prepare a powerful spell, as he took the pendant into his hand. " _Robin, don't pay too much attention, and I'll shield you!_ "

"Robin!" Jericho said, as he ran over with Ambrosia in his arms. Beast Boy shifted into his massive dragon form and snorted out smoke. That had the Titans living there gape with shock.

" _Yeah. He learned how to breathe fire,_ " Robin smirked. Now he focused with his pendant and used a mere fraction of its power. He added a double layer of warding. The teleporting attacks ceased completely. Jericho sighed with relief, and Ambrosia was shivering. Robin hugged her tight and sighed.

"That power..." Jinx gaped with Herald.

"Elvey's pendant was given to me by Ambrosia. Elvey is teaching me how to use magic. That was him that used the spell, though," Robin said.

"I can see that!" Herald grinned. "Will we get that strong?"

" _Stick to your training and it's possible,_ " Robin chuckled. He squeezed Ambrosia and gave her back to Jericho. Beast Boy swerved his head and hissed at a shadowy figure coming towards them.

"Stop!" Jericho shouted, and the figure became paralyzed. "Reveal yourself now!"

"Eh..." the man blinked, as his cloaking was simply removed from him.

"Who are you?" Jericho glowered. "If you don't tell me, then I'll find out by force!"

"I am just a messenger..." the man simpered. Ambrosia was given over to Robin gently, and he nodded to show he had her. Now Jericho's eyes locked with messenger's eyes and possessed him. Jericho got all of the information he needed and separated from him.

"Message delivered. Now get out!" he snarled. Beast Boy lowered his muzzle and let a wash of flame appear. That made the man gape, as Robin kicked him out of the castle grounds.

"What did we miss?!" Cyborg asked, as he appeared with Raven and Starfire.

"Everything!" Jericho growled. Beast Boy snorted out more smoke and reverted back to human.

"BB?! Did you just blow smoke?!" Cyborg gaped.

"Yeah. I figured out how!" he grinned.

"And he can breathe fire!" Jinx giggled. Raven and Starfire dropped their jaws.

"Who was he, dearest?" Ambrosia asked, as Jericho held her close again.

"He was truly a messenger from one of the Elders. The attack was a ruse to let him slip in. No more of that! They'll need to make appointments," Jericho muttered. "I will not accept deceit as a way to see me! In fact...hmm..."

"Hmm?" Robin asked with a smirk.

" _Elvey. Help me send a message,_ " Jericho grinned wickedly.

" _With pleasure, brother,_ " Robin grinned in the same wicked way, as he focused. " _To who is it going to? And what do I say?_ "

" _To the Elder named Foster,_ " Jericho mused. " _You are no King. Your crown is fake. Your message was delivered. Your messenger has been found and kicked out. If you want an audience, meet me tonight. A gala was cancelled, but it will return. However, it is by invitation only. If you try this stunt again, I will find your mind and implode it! With regards, King Jericho and King Tintagel. Message sent by Robin, the leader of the Titans, and King Elvey._ "

" _Done!_ " Robin grinned with a giggle and sent the message. " _Ooh! I felt chills!_ "

" _From your spine?_ " Jericho smirked.

" _No. From Foster,_ " he grinned.

" _Even better,_ " Jericho mused.

"What can we help with, Your Majesty?" Raven asked, as Jinx and Herald moved with her.

"Hmm. How is your training going?" Jericho asked.

"Elvey has been helping me along. Jinx and Herald are coming along, too," Raven nodded.

"If I can't read a spell, what does that mean?" Jinx frowned.

" _You're not ready for it. Train on the ones you can read until you get them down. Then work on the more difficult versions,_ " Robin said.

"Oh! Okay! Thanks!" Jinx beamed. Beast Boy had taken to pressing into Ambrosia's side to help calm her. She sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"We need a larger room to store the moon crystals we're gathering," Herald said.

"Really? All right, we can work on that," Jericho nodded. "Darling?"

"I will help," she nodded. He kissed her forehead, and Beast Boy nodded. He was able to let her move off, and he sighed. He always lost control when she got scared.

"Beast Boy?" Starfire frowned. "What is with the up?"

"I always lose control when she feels hurt," he grumbled.

"That may be needed at times, Beast Boy," Raven thought. "I mean...if we can't find her, you can. And you'll be the first one to ward her away from danger, too."

"Maybe. It's like, I can't think unless I know I'm next to her. Then things start to become clear again. But, if she's scared and I'm far away...well..." he moped.

"We steer clear of you," Cyborg chuckled. That made Beast Boy grin.

"Hmm," Robin thought. He suddenly swerved and blocked someone with his rod extended. "Another slipped in, eh? Nice!"

"Ah..." the man blinked, as he had a sword out. Robin had blocked his sword in mid-swing. Then the man grinned and hid it behind his back quickly. Robin actually heard the movement of the air being done when the sword came down. The other Titans were shocked. They noticed nothing at all.

"You would dare to attack us on these grounds?!" Robin snarled. Beast Boy shifted into a Tyrannosaurus and roared. The man paled.

"And just who do you think you are?" Raven asked, as her shadows levitated the man.

"I...eh...am Wristal of the Inner Circle Court..." the man grimaced.

" _Is that so?_ " Robin mused when Elvey emerged. " _This must be a new Court._ "

"Oh, it is! Very new!" he nodded.

"Just made up today?" Cyborg smirked and charged up his gun to point at him. The man paled.

" _And just how did you get in?_ " Robin frowned. " _Hmm. You have an antimagic charm on you. I can smell it. Good thing Raven doesn't need magic. Neither do I, for that matter._ "

"Or me," Cyborg growled.

"I lack magic, as well!" Starfire glared, as her eyes glowed green.

" _Now, I'm curious. Is Wristal even your name?_ " Robin thought. " _Maybe I should crack open your skull and find out? I'm sure I can..._ "

"No!" the man squealed. "Okay, okay! My name is Wristal, but...you're right. There is no Inner Circle Court..."

" _Then why are you here?_ " Robin frowned.

"It's always been a dream to any Fae man to assist with the pregnancy of a true Queen! Eh...well..." Wristal shuddered.

"Oh, no! No, no! You did  _not_  just say what I think you said!" Cyborg said with disgust.

"Shall I crush him?" Raven asked.

" _I think it's time to feed the T-Rex,_ " Robin grinned. Wristal screeched and shook his head. Starfire was completely enraged at the Fae man in blue and black clothing.

"Ambrosia has done no wrong!" Starfire growled. Beast Boy salivated and roared again.

"What do we have here?" Jericho asked, as he walked over. Ambrosia was settled in her hovering chair with the silent silver mask over her face.

" _A dino treat for Beast Boy,_ " Robin smirked.

"Let's see if I can find out a bit more," Jericho mused. He locked eyes with the man and possessed him. "Drop me, Raven. If you could?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Raven nodded and gently released him. Beast Boy reverted back to human form and glared, as he moved over to Ambrosia's side. Robin glanced over at Ambrosia and noticed how exhausted she was. He looked at the ground with a frown.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"I'm just angry," he said to her. "that these...idiots...would dare to continue this!"

"You and me both," Jericho nodded, as he gleaned all of the information he needed. His form separated and now he glared hard at the man. "You would  _dare_  to attempt to assassinate me?!"

"Ah..." the man gaped.

"He did try to attack me," Robin growled.

"Did he? Hmm. So he did. What do you want to do?" Jericho grinned.

"Set an example," Robin said and cracked his knuckles.

"Robin," Ambrosia said gently. "Please. No violence..."

"Why?" he asked softly.

"I do not want all of the Fae to think we are cruel. Yes, he deserves a lesson, but not like this. Not this way," she sighed. "I would rather his powers be blocked."

"He has no powers. He is a Fae that is relatively weak and relies on his skills as a thief," Jericho muttered. "But, I understand, darling. We do need to show mercy."

"We've been doing that quite a bit, though," Robin frowned.

"Hmm. That we have," Ambrosia said and stood up. She removed her silver mask, and now Wristal stared at her beauty. Her dress shimmered and became her armor. She took the sword off her back and glared with hatred. Any Titans that didn't see this yet were in shock at what she was wearing. She now lowered her sword so that the point of it barely touched the man's nose.

"Darling?" Jericho grinned. Robin smirked and put his hands on his hips.

"Foolish one," Ambrosia growled softly. "If you come into my home again in such a manner, I will ensure that my trees and Treants will drink blood instead of water! Is that clear?!"

"Ah..." the man grimaced. Then he screamed when roots shot up to wrap around his limbs as though to pull him into the ground. "I swear! Never again will I attempt to hurt anyone here! I vow!"

"Good," she said, and the roots released him. "Now get out of my home!"

Robin teleported the man away with a massive grin on his face. Jericho was laughing. Cyborg was simply speechless at the power and authority she held. Beast Boy was snickering. Raven and Starfire were in complete shock at how deadly Ambrosia was. Ambrosia's armor dissipated to become a soft, silver gown, and she sighed sadly. She hated resorting to such violent measures.

"You had to show him that you meant business!" Beast Boy said. Robin now looked at her with a soft frown, and Jericho thought about everything.

"I know. I just...why?" she frowned and trembled. "Fae should never have to resort to such a thing! Yes, we defend ourselves, but...I have never had to resort to this. Normally, guards would take care of it. Mother was more of a warrior woman than I was. Father had taught her how to fend for herself. I was simply...kept safe."

"But, you are learning, love," Jericho smiled and moved to hug her tight.

"But at what cost?" she shivered. That made him cringe. Robin grimaced. _Ambrosia was known as the Fae's innocent princess._ That was when he blinked.

" _I know why they think that they can get away with this!_ " Robin hissed when Elvey made the connection.

"Oh?" Jericho asked.

" _Think about it. Ambrosia was kept away from battle. She was kept away from intense blood-shed. She was kept pure of everything. She's basically the 'legendary' innocent Fae princess. Tell me. How many think that she can't defend herself or know how to use the ancient magic?!_ " Robin growled.

"You're right! Wristal's memories state that, when she was lost, the entire kingdom was both relieved and devastated. Most Fae Queens tried to take on her approach from the past. To show they were also innocent and kept safe. Esmiralda was the last known Queen that showed such power. She had to be respected at all times! No one would even think that Ambrosia, her own daughter at that, would be the same from how she was kept pure. Darling, you may have to show a bit of a spine here and there. Don't worry, though. I will help you, as will the others. Once we show you are a force to be reckoned with, the attacks should cease, and we may as well be left alone," Jericho said.

"Dearest, we have no followers. The only family I have is all of you..." Ambrosia whispered, and everyone around her seemed to blink. "Starfire, I see you as a dear sister. Raven, too. Even Jinx. Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg are like protective brothers. Overly protective, but that's fine. Jericho, you are my husband, and I'm having your son. Everyone else I knew was killed. What else is there for me to say?"

"If it helps, you do have followers. You have us. The Titans," Robin smiled, and everyone there was already nodding their heads with approval.

"I am a sister?!" Starfire blinked. At Ambrosia's smile, they hugged each other, and Raven was suddenly grabbed and pulled into the hug. Jinx was pulled in next, and they all started giggling.

"So, what do we do now?" Raven asked when they all split apart.

"Darling, was the gala to be rescheduled?" Ambrosia asked.

"Yes. For tonight. We still have to deal with Alston. Remember?" he grimaced.

"May he rot!" she hissed.

"Alston?" Raven frowned. Now the others were filled in on who Alston was and what he did.

"He invaded your personal space?!" Starfire gaped.

"And stole things..." Raven glowered.

"Hmm. I wonder if his luck will wear out," Jinx grinned.

"I'm sure it already has," Robin mused.

"Hmm?" Jericho looked at him.

" _I need to speak with brother,_ " Robin grinned, as Elvey came out.

" _Speaking,_ " Jericho said, as Tintagel emerged. Robin started to whisper in the language of the Fae, and Raven was able to understand a portion of the conversation. Jinx was able to, as well. Herald would have, but he was charging up the new moon crystal room. Ambrosia was a bit surprised at what Elvey wanted to do, and she frowned.

"Won't that harm Robin?" Ambrosia asked.

" _No. I will not use the magic of basic moon crystals or other means. I will use my pendant. There is more than enough magic for this within it. I know how to charge it. That won't be an issue. Raven, Jinx, everyone...I am going to scry for Alston. I need absolute focus and no distractions. Once I find him, I'm going to deliver a message to him,_ " Robin grinned.

"What message?" Raven asked.

" _To send word to any and all Fae of the old blood about the gala. If he does a good enough job, depending on how many items he brings back, as well, his powers may be unblocked sooner than later,_ " he chuckled. " _If he can find fifty pureblood Fae, it would be interesting. But, I have my doubts that even that many exist now. We'll have to see._ "

" _That we will,_ " Jericho said and moved to his wife's side to hug her close. Robin now sat cross-legged on the ground, and everyone held their breath. Beast Boy threatened to sneeze, and Cyborg smacked him away to stop him.

"Thanks..." Beast Boy said weakly.

" _Quiet,_ " Robin muttered and tried not to laugh. He started to chant, and his pendant glowed. A sphere of blue energy appeared and turned into a form of a crystal ball. As he started to search for Alston, Jericho kept his hand pressed to Ambrosia's belly. She blushed at him when several kicks were given over. He kissed her gently and swayed with her lightly to dance in place. They placed their foreheads together for the crowns to shimmer happily. Their shimmering light also enhanced what Robin was doing. He was able to trace Alston's steps from the Fae village to an old castle under a hill about a hundred miles off. He found Alston in his room with a pile of Ambrosia's belongings on a chair. Not having any powers to use right now, he failed to feel the presence of being watched.

"Where is that gold brush?!" Alston muttered, as he ransacked his multitudes of closets.

" _Alston!_ " Robin growled. His voice echoed throughout the room.

"Ahh!" Alston cringed and looked around.

" _It's King Elvey. I have a message for you. Heed it well,_ " Robin continued. He voiced out the message of the gala and the possibility of his powers being restored if many of the old blood were gathered. When Alston showed a glimmer of hope, Robin then said, " _Just so you know. The Elder, Foster, tried to attack our castle home! He is to remain neutral! If he is not, then he will be denied entry to the castle. Also, if any 'royal' Fae tries to claim that Queen Ambrosia and King Jericho are not royalty, they will not be allowed at this gala, either! Is that understood?!_ "

"Clearly! Crystal clear!" Alston winced.

" _Bring what you find that belonged to Queen Ambrosia in the past. You had better hurry up. The gala is tonight when daybreak is done!_ " Robin warned, and then dropped the spell. He looked at Jericho and grinned wickedly, as he said, " _That felt sooo good!_ "

" _I'm sure it did,_ " Jericho grinned. "Oh. We need to finish that treaty."

"That we do!" Robin said and stood up now. "You need to get to the zoo to get the zebra."

"What of me?" Ambrosia frowned.

"I'll protect you," Beast Boy nodded.

"Star, I'll need your help," Robin smiled. She beamed at him and nodded. "Beast Boy, take her to the secret room. That would be the safest place for her."

"I'll walk you there," Jericho said. Cyborg was going to set up an area to inspect each Fae that tried to walk in. He was also thinking of building a sensor machine that would detect if a Fae was truly of pure blood. If they weren't, he'd push them out.

"Ambrosia, I want to build a Fae detector. Such as, if someone shows up that's not pure, I can boot them out. Would it be all right if I used you as an example for the machine? Since you're pureblood?" Cyborg asked. "I'm not sure if Jericho could work."

"Build your machine first, and then we'll let you scan my wife," Jericho nodded.

"Booyah!" Cyborg grinned and teleported back to the tower with the teleporter in the main square. Robin grinned at this and nodded to Raven and Starfire to follow him.

"Keep her safe, Beast Boy," Jericho said. "Darling, stay with him, okay?"

"Of course, love," she smiled and kissed him before he teleported away. Beast Boy led her into the hidden room and hugged her. He blinked at a kick he got from her belly and he grinned.

"Still growing, huh?" he chuckled and led her to the bed to help her lay down.

"Yes. I am curious of what the Fae now consider music that they want to listen to," she frowned.

"As long as it's not like a night club!" Beast Boy cringed.

"A night club?" Ambrosia blinked.

"Eh...I'm no good at explaining these things," he sighed. She giggled and reached over to caress his cheek. There was no train of thought, as she destroyed it with her over-whelming honey scent. It was a bit later that he was resting in the bed with her and had his eyes closed. The door suddenly opened up, and his eyes snapped open. He sat up with a snarl and paused. It was Robin.

"Sorry. I needed to see her," he sighed and walked over to her to kiss her awake.

"Robin?" she asked, as she realized it was him.

"Hey," he smiled. She blushed at him, and he kissed her again to get the nectar he started to crave. He sighed with relief after the fourth swallow and hugged her.

"How is everything going along?" she smiled.

"The treaty is almost done. Aqualad is getting Hot Spot to melt down some gold. Those who don't sign it will not be welcomed here again after this gala is over," he said sternly.

"Makes sense," Beast Boy nodded. "And, if they do sign it?"

"They can come and go as they like with various conditions. Such as, the moment they try to blackmail us, or do something stupid, their name is removed from the treaty, and they are blocked off," Robin nodded. "We won't give them a second chance, either."

"Very well," Ambrosia nodded. Robin took out an empty vial and sighed.

"My Queen, would it be all right if I filled this up with your nectar? Elvey thinks I need to keep some on me as a safety," Robin said.

"You called her 'my Queen'?" Beast Boy asked with a confused look.

"Yeah. I did," Robin shrugged. "It's...a habit now. I don't say it out there with the others..."

"Don't worry. I won't snitch," Beast Boy said.

"Thanks," Robin smiled. Ambrosia looked a bit worried.

"I'm sure that Robin won't let anything happen to those vials! Right, Robin?" Beast Boy glared.

"Elvey actually knows how to make them invisible. Don't worry," Robin winked. That made her relieved, and he was able to fill the vial with a couple of her kisses. Then he kissed her fully and pulled himself away, as he muttered, "I need to get back to the ballroom. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Okay. Knock on the door next time!" Beast Boy growled.

"If I need her then I can't," he frowned.

"It's all right," Ambrosia smiled and ran her hand through Beast Boy's hair. "I hope my husband is well. It's been a while since he left."

"Hmm," Robin thought and grabbed the communicator to contact him.

"Yes?" Jericho asked.

"How is everything? Ambrosia is worried," Robin asked.

"Very good, actually! I'm almost done. I'll be there shortly," he promised. Robin nodded and Ambrosia beamed at him. He chuckled and moved out of the room. She snuggled into Beast Boy's protective embrace, and he nuzzled her. Outside the room, Bushido was admiring the gallery. He was amazed at how honorable each figure stood. _Royalty and nobility seemed to go back a long way._ When he got to Ambrosia's portrait with Tintagel and Esmiralda, he stood there in silent shock.  _She was stunning at so young an age, and her parents were royalty from head to toe._ He was impressed at how Tintagel looked and was awed at how much Ambrosia resembled her mother.

"Why don't any others have blue eyes?" Bushido frowned. He looked over the other portraits and noticed he was correct.  _Only Ambrosia held the deep blue._ Then he thought to himself, "That's right. She was the product of two Kings and a Queen. So... she must have the eyes of King Elvey. Very interesting to know. What's this?"

He found the odd separation in the wall. Being a Titan much like Robin, he was honed to notice things out of the ordinary to track his enemies. He looked around and saw the small, nearly invisible moon crystal. He touched it, and the wall opened up. He blinked and walked down the secret hall. When the door closed behind him, he frowned, but he continued to walk. At the door he encountered, he carefully opened it. Then he saw a massive green dragon in front of a bed snarling at him, as white eyes glared with an unblinking gaze. Bushido's jaw dropped, and then he saw Ambrosia sitting up in the bed with the covers pulled up to her chest. The dragon in front of him seethed, and the air started to feel hot when fire started to charge up to blast him. He was about to say something, but he got pulled out of the room by Robin and slammed against a wall with brute force.

"What are you doing here?!" Robin seethed. He felt the shock from Ambrosia and was glad he caught Bushido before Beast Boy fried him to a crisp.

"I was examining the gallery! I didn't know this was here!" Bushido said with a small wince.

"Robin, stop!" Ambrosia said and walked out in her robe. Beast Boy had dressed quickly to follow her. "He didn't know! Relax!"

"Hmm..." Robin frowned.

"Bushido," Ambrosia sighed and placed a hand on his chest to heal wherever he hurt. Bushido coughed and found all the pain gone. "I am sorry. But, this place is to remain a secret. It is where I am hidden away now. It is heavily warded. Beast Boy, Robin, and Jericho are really the only ones allowed in this inner chamber. Not very many Titans know of this room. Robin? Please apologize to him?"

"I'm sorry," Robin sighed. "In a way, I kept you from getting blasted with fire from Beast Boy."

"You can breathe fire?!" Bushido blinked. Beast Boy became a small dragon, moved up to Ambrosia's shoulder, and let the small flame appear briefly. Bushido was in shock.

"Robin's right, you know. I would have blasted you. I almost did, too! I'm instinctive around her, if I don't know who is on the other side of the door," Beast Boy said, as he reformed back to human. "The moment the door started to open, I took no chances."

"You managed to discover this place. Come," Ambrosia said.

"I will tell no one," Bushido vowed. Robin nodded and let Bushido into the small bedroom. It was here that Bushido saw the hidden portrait of Ambrosia with her three parents. "I thought he was the one that gave you the eyes."

"Yes. King Elvey was the one," she smiled softly. "I didn't know in full. As you know."

"True," he nodded. Robin now stepped in front of her as though to shield her. Beast Boy was muttering softly into a moon crystal.

"I could use your help in the ballroom," Robin said.

"Oh? Show me where," Bushido nodded. He blinked at Ambrosia's slow blink of her eyes, and Robin hissed. He pushed Bushido out quickly and joined him outside the door.

"That was close!" Robin sighed.

"What just happened?" Bushido frowned.

"Why did she do that with Beast Boy and I there? Oh! Clever girl," he chuckled. "She made it seem like she was when that wasn't it at all. Sneaky!"

"Hmm?" Bushido asked.

"Ambrosia...you know how she reaches out to others when she's alone? When she blinks like that, it signals it. The start of it. I thought she was going to reach for you, but it was to hasten me to get you out of the room. Safety, of course," he said.

"Oh! Very clever," Bushido nodded. As they walked back through the hallway, Bushido looked back at the door. Various thoughts were running through his head, as he followed Robin out.

"I don't like that," Beast Boy frowned, as he snuggled Ambrosia in the bed.

"Don't like what?" she frowned.

"Anyone can just open the door?!" he growled. "That makes no sense!"

She sighed, and he cuddled her. She put her hands in his hair, and he let out a tired sigh. At this, she frowned and said, "You didn't sleep much, did you?"

"No..." he muttered.

"Then rest," she smiled and kissed him. He drank down the nectar she gave him and found his eyes getting heavy. He yawned and pressed into her more.

"Cheater..." he muttered.

"Only if you think I am," she chuckled and kissed his forehead. He had fallen asleep after that. She hummed softly and closed her eyes to rest. In the ballroom, Robin was keeping a close mental eye on her. He smiled, as he felt her mind drift off to sleep, and he refocused on the treaty and other various things that he needed to do in the ballroom.

"Okay, Bushido. Cyborg wants to set up a device that can scan any Fae that walks in. If they aren't pureblood, they leave. Plain and simple. We need to figure out where to put it," Robin said.

"Hmm," Bushido thought and scanned the area. "We can build a ledge in the corner of the room. It can focus on the entrance here. We should have another one set up for the stairs leading outside in case any try to sneak in."

"Good call," Robin nodded. "You could help Cyborg play bouncer. Keep unworthy ones out."

"I think it would be good exercise for me," he mused.

"It would be, eh?" Robin laughed. He looked over to see Starfire painting each carved letter carefully with molten gold. She was thoroughly enjoying her job.

"Robin, how will others sign the treaty if it is stone?" Bushido asked.

"We'll have a special pen filled with molten gold nearby. The pen is designed to stain the stone like an airbrush," he said. That made Bushido grin with understanding. "And, eh, I'm really sorry for slamming you into the wall. I was trying to get you out of harm's way."

"I know, and I appreciate it," he said. "I don't want to charred to a crisp!"

"You and me both!" Robin agreed. He blinked and frowned. Then he paled.

"Robin?" Bushido frowned. Now he darted back out of the ballroom. He moved through the gallery and into the hidden passageway. He moved into the secret room and right up to Ambrosia to pull her into his arms. She pressed herself into him with a painful wince.

"My Queen, what happened?!" Robin frowned. Beast Boy was sleeping deeply and couldn't be woken.  _Normally, Beast Boy would be wide awake!_ Then he remembered that she was out in the hallway for a short amount of time.  _Was she exposed to something?_

"Aelfric..." she shivered, and he pressed a hand to her belly. A weak kick was given. Robin took out his pendant and focused.  _Someone tried to enchant her pregnancy?!_

"Relax, my Queen. I'll fix this with Elvey," he soothed. He could sense Aelfric's spirit deflecting the enchantment.  _Someone tried to make her abort him! Apparently, if others couldn't comfort her, then no one could._ He narrowed his eyes and focused. He traced back the spell to the one that cast it. On finding out who it was, he seethed.  _It was Orin._

"I'm here!" Jericho hissed, as he appeared and moved to help comfort his wife. "Hush, love."

"Jericho..." she shivered, and her body shook uncontrollably.

"He knows that Aelfric is being reborn, and he would  _dare_  to cast this spell?!" Jericho hissed.

"And he put Beast Boy to sleep," Robin frowned.

"Easy to fix," Jericho nodded and reached over to tap lightly on Beast Boy's forehead. He winced and blinked awake with a groan.

"I couldn't wake up!" Beast Boy grimaced. "Ambrosia!"

"We got this. Guard the door!" Robin said. "I'm going to kill Orin for trying to kill my son!"

"Our son," Jericho muttered. "Cripple him."

" _Gladly!_ " Robin grinned and let Elvey focus with his pendant. Beast Boy watched with his arms crossed over his chest by the door. Orin was now in the same searing pain that he sent to Ambrosia, and it was going to linger with him all through the night. " _If he dares to show up at this gala..._ "

"If he wants to live then he won't!" Jericho growled. Aelfric gave a rewarding kick to show he was fine now. Robin and Jericho both sighed, and Ambrosia took a deep breath.

"Easy now," Robin whispered. "Sit up. That's it."

"Robin?!" Starfire blinked, as she came in. Beast Boy nodded to her and let her into the room.

"Ambrosia's pregnancy was attacked!" Jericho growled.

"What?! By who? Who would harm an innocent?!" Starfire asked with outrage.

"Orin," Robin said. "The one that tried to disrupt her bath."

"I shall kick the butt of Orin!" she said angrily.

"If he shows up, then yes. Do it," Robin smirked. "Might want to let the others know."

"Okay!" she said and flew out of the room.

"So, the gala will start soon? Or is it after daybreak later today?" Beast Boy asked.

"It will be after daybreak. We'll have to have more preparations now. Orin was able to send a spell to harm Ambrosia and put you to sleep. Hmm..." Jericho thought.

"Love?" Ambrosia frowned, and he kissed her softly. He moved onto the bed and pulled her into his lap to cradle her. Robin was now focusing with Elvey to create a special antimagic barrier on the room. He was going to need to recharge his pendant before the gala happened.

"Darling, your zebra is secure and in a stable area with heavy protection. Nothing will come to harm her. Our son is safe now. Everything is fine," Jericho whispered to her. She kissed him passionately and hugged him to her. She was clearly distressed, and Beast Boy was cringing.

"My Queen..." Robin ached. "is there anything I can do to ease your pain?"

"Do not let Orin come to the gala," she whispered softly. "I...do not want him here..."

"I will ensure he doesn't take one step on our grounds," Robin nodded.

"He tried to harm Aelfric. He is not worthy as an ally," Jericho grounded out.

"I'll tell the others," Robin said. He reached over and gently caressed her face to show he was going to handle it. She nodded, and he left. Beast Boy moved over to her, and he got pulled close to get hugged tightly. Then he shifted into a small dragon and snuggled into her lap. He sighed and squeaked at a sharp kick. He gently nudged the kicker back and another kick was given right on his snout.

"Looks like Aelfric is reminding you of your place," Jericho chuckled. Beast Boy purred and gave a small yawn. Ambrosia started to hum softly, and Jericho smiled as he joined her. His noble tone accented her soprano one beautifully. They giggled when it was done, and Beast Boy was sleeping peacefully. Their crowns shimmered when they touched, and he kissed her gently.

"I missed you," she frowned, and he hugged her to him.

"I know, dearest. I'm doing everything that I can to keep you safe and to keep the castle thriving. I wish there was more that I could do. Now that we are in our second month, it's just a matter of time before it ends and we will need to deal with a threat," he sighed. "But, I do vow this..."

"What do you vow?"

"If any of those spirits from the Unseelie Court  _dare_  to attempt anything on you, I will hunt every last one of them down to the ends of the earth!" he seethed. She gasped and knew that he meant it. "I will even state this to them when they appear to announce their little 'tests', and I am not going to leave your side at all! I will remind them of what a soul-mated crown will do if the soul-mate is killed, and I shall make them tremble to the core! You have my word!"

"Jericho..." she sighed, and he hugged her tenderly with a hard sigh.

"Of course, I won't let you lift a finger to do anything in your third month," he smiled.

"I do not want to be pampered!" she blushed.

"But you will be pampered," he grinned and kissed her. "And you'll be cuddled and loved..."

"I know I'll be loved," she said with a gentle smile.

"My darling, sweet, innocent wife," he whispered.

"My powerfully protective, strong husband," she whispered back. He kissed her lovingly, and he looked up when he felt something tapping at his wards. He narrowed his eyes and thought.

"Someone is 'knocking' on my warding," he frowned.

"What shall you do?" she frowned.

"I'll have Elvey answer the 'door'," he smirked and focused. In the ballroom, Robin blinked at the mental nudge and chuckled. He gestured for Bushido and Raven to follow him.

"Something up?" Raven asked.

" _Someone is knocking on the wards. That means they are requesting an audience in a rather discreet way. I'm surprised to say the least. This tells me that, whoever wishes to see us, is a Fae of the old ways, and now I am curious. My brother just told me,_ " Robin said, as Elvey spoke out. " _Care to help me open the door and see who it is?_ "

"If you know we will be safe," Bushido mused.

" _Oh, we'll be very safe. We'll just look through a peep hole,_ " Robin chuckled. He focused and a blue light appeared. Then he spoke out, " _Who is it? We are still working here. The gala is not until tonight after this coming daybreak._ "

"I am King Ealdun from the Western Fae Realms. I wish to seek an audience with the new King and Queen. Is this possible?" a rather regal voice rang out.

" _Hmm. King Ealdun? Ah! I do remember you. You have been honorable to us in the past. Neutral all around, and that is well and good. Hmm..._ " Robin thought. " _How have you heard of life at this castle? Who spoke out?_ "

"Orin told us at a gathering. He has mentioned that Queen Ambrosia was with child in her second month. I forbade any of my people from trying to seek her out!" he said.

" _And I thank you for that. Orin has just recently attacked her pregnancy and put one of her guardians to sleep. I reversed the problem, and King Jericho woke up her guardian,_ " Robin growled.

"He would dare to harm a royal pregnancy?!" the King was baffled.

" _He did. And it is my son, Aelfric, being reborn,_ " Robin said.

"You're...you are King Elvey! But...your voice is different..."

" _Yes. How much did Orin tell you?_ "

"Not much. He was rather cryptic," King Ealdun admitted.

" _I see. Very well. Let me see if King Jericho can see you,_ " Robin said and took out a moon crystal to whisper into it. Within moments, Jericho walked out with Ambrosia. She was wearing a deep green gown, and it lightly trailed over the ground while she moved. Beast Boy walked with them to show that he wasn't going to stand aside. She ran a hand over his hair, and he grinned.

"I am King Jericho, and I grant you permission to enter my castle grounds," he said. The blue light got wider, and a Fae of rather muscular stature walked in. He had on a cloak of soft red silk, and his outfit was quite colorful, yet rich in dark colors of the forest. The sleeves were traditionally puffed out at the shoulders, and it was the same for his pants. It almost resembled old Victorian style dress all around. His crown was alive and teeming with as much life as Ambrosia's and Jericho's did. It was designed to resemble a rushing stream rich with water life and wildlife.

"I am King Ealdun from the Western Fae Realms. I greet you both warmly!" he bowed.

"Of course," Jericho nodded and bowed back. Ambrosia did a light curtsy, and Jericho pressed his forehead to hers to let the blue light sparkle and flicker about their crowns.

"Soul-mated?! Those crowns...I see..." King Ealdun thought.

"Yes. And, so you know, King Tintagel lives again in my mind, as does Queen Esmiralda in my wife's mind. King Elvey lives again within Robin's mind, and Robin is the leader of a powerful group of beings called the Titans. I made an alliance with him, and he has with me. King Elvey has also mentally adopted him as his son," Jericho nodded.

"What brings you to our castle?" Ambrosia asked. The King caught his breath at her stunning beauty, and Robin stepped in front of her. Beast Boy growled and got another pat to his head.

"I wanted to know the truth about everything," he admitted. "What happened here? What happened with you? What is happening now? Orin...the cursed wretch he is...he has told us nothing. Only that you lived and that you were in your second month of pregnancy!"

" _And what happened to your Queen?_ " Robin frowned.

"Two hundred years ago, Sinlus murdered her," he said painfully. That made Jericho twitch, and Ambrosia gasped. "She refused his advances while I was away on business. So...he ripped off her crown to watch her die. I found it in pieces next to her body, and...well...that was that. She was one of the last true Queens until you showed up. I do not know if any others exist."

"Such disgust!" Raven grimaced. Now he noticed she was a High Warlock, and he gaped.

" _Yes. We have two other High Warlocks here,_ " Robin grinned wickedly. " _Don't worry. Sinlus will get what's coming to him._ "

"I called down the Will of Judgment, and the Unseelie Court destroyed his body, but his soul apparently runs free. He wants to be reborn of my wife, and I won't have that!" Jericho frowned.

"I wouldn't want that flea-bitten waste of flesh anywhere near the Fae Realm!" King Ealdun agreed. "Let his soul rot with the Unseelie Court!"

"Good. Then we can talk. Please follow me," Jericho nodded. "Beast Boy, be watchful."

"Right!" he grinned.

"Beast Boy?" King Ealdun asked. As a response, Beast Boy shifted into a massive dragon and snorted hot smoke. He gaped with shock. Then Beast Boy shifted into other various animals before snickering and running off after Ambrosia.

"His ability is to change into random animals. He was the one that saw Queen Ambrosia when she was trapped as a princess," Raven said. "I can summon powerful shadows to do my bidding."

"I see," he said with amazement, as she used her shadows to move things aside for them.

"I have the latest haul of moon crystals!" Kid Flash said when he suddenly appeared with a massive bag of them. "Is that room done yet?"

"Yes, Kid Flash. Herald is charging up crystals, as we speak," Raven nodded.

"Righto!" he grinned and sped off.

"How...can he go so fast?!" the King gaped.

"We are group of humans and beings that have specialized enhanced powers," Bushido said. "Whether through birth, skill, or other means, we safeguard the human race. I am an honorable warrior from Japan. I have strength, speed, and agility that is matched by Robin through hard training. More like outmatched now with his new link to the ancient King."

"Oh!" King Ealdun said. He was completely fascinated now.

"You will learn about us in time," Raven nodded. "King Jericho and Queen Ambrosia await."

"Thank you," he nodded respectfully to them and walked into the castle. He gaped at the Treant when it studied him, but it let him pass unharmed. He was amazed at how the castle looked now.  _It looked better than it did before._ He was led by glowing lights to a small chamber with a round table in it. Jericho and Ambrosia sat near the back of it. Robin was there already, and he was contacting Cyborg and Starfire. Raven moved in with Jinx and Herald to bear witness to the meeting.

"Herald, I need my pendant charged. Can you help me?" Robin asked.

"Sure thing!" Herald grinned and blew his horn for the moon to shine through it. King Ealdun gaped at how fast the moon crystals the others had were charging. He took out a few of his own pieces to let them charge. Robin looked over at them and frowned.

"You have cracked moon crystals?" he frowned. "If they charge too much, they will shatter."

"I know, but it's all I have. It's been difficult to harvest them," the King admitted.

"May we replace them? We know how," Herald chuckled. "We have a storeroom of them now, and we can probably match the colors and sizes."

"Do you?!" he asked with surprise.

"What do you think was in the bag that Kid Flash had?" Jinx giggled.

"I can take those from you and be back with them quickly," Herald said.

"Do be careful. Some of them were from my Queen before she passed on," he frowned.

"I will be exceptionally gentle," Herald nodded and picked up the pieces to take them away quickly. He blew on his horn to open a gateway and move through it.

"Now," Jericho said. "it's easier to speak in the language of the Fae."

"Not in sign language?" Raven grinned.

"I was mute before. I am not mute now," he smirked. "My wife saw to that."

"You needed to speak! Don't fight with me!" Ambrosia chuckled. Beast Boy flew up to her shoulder as a small dragon and curled up around her neck. He decided to nap and catch up on some sleep.

"I will tell you everything from the beginning. This includes how Ambrosia came about. It will take some time. I trust you have the time to spare?" Jericho asked.

"As much as needed," King Ealdun nodded. Jericho nodded back and began to whisper in the warm, rich language. Ambrosia sighed and smiled, as Starfire and Cyborg walked in. The King gaped at Cyborg, and he was given a wink back. Robin moved to whisper to them, and they settled down to sit in various chairs. Cyborg studied the Fae language and actually found himself able to understand it.  _Ambrosia's hair was translating it for me._ The same was done with Starfire, and they whispered this to Robin. That had him blink with shock, but he was grinning.  _The hairs were truly important._

They refocused on what Jericho was saying to the older King. King Ealdun was floored at how Ambrosia was brought into the world with three parents. Then Robin moved to squeeze Ambrosia's shoulder when Jericho got into detail of how Sinlus tricked Elvey into killing himself. She squeezed his hand with a knowing frown, and he sighed. The King sat back in his chair and was shaking his head at everything. When it came to the treachery at the wedding, he went completely pale with shock.

"That was over eleven hundred years ago," Jericho said. "Allow me to continue."

"Please!" King Ealdun nodded. He was filled in on everything from when Ambrosia's curse was broken and up to the gala coming up. A heavy sigh escaped him, as he said, "None of us knew that King Elvey was part of the pregnancy. And that Aelfric was her half-brother?! Incredible!"

"I did not know of this until recently, too," Ambrosia frowned. Jericho kissed her forehead to comfort her, and Beast Boy let out a small sigh when he stretched himself awake.

"But these tests from the Unseelie Court...what sort of tests will they be?" the King asked.

"Mainly to test the strength of the Titans," Robin said. "They're curious about us. What we can do. How far can we go. How smart we are. They want to know what they can."

"And it starts at the end of this month," Cyborg grunted. "I wanna pummel something!"

"Cyborg, I'm sure you will," Ambrosia chuckled softly. "Save it for the gala."

"Or if Orin shows up," Robin growled.

"If he shows up, his luck has gone dry!" Jinx fumed.

"That slimy, puss-filled..." Ambrosia seethed, and Jericho quieted her with a light finger to her lips. She frowned and looked away with a small nod. Beast Boy nuzzled her to make her smile.

"Forgive my wife. Orin...tried to take advantage of her long ago when she was bathing," Jericho muttered. "And Alston stole personal items from her bedroom, too."

"What?!" King Ealdun asked with disbelief. "Unbelievable!"

" _There is much discontent now,_ " Robin sighed, as he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. Elvey was clearly in control. " _The old ways are being lost._ "

"The old ways started to become lost when Sinlus massacred everyone in this castle long ago! If we knew what was going on..." King Ealdun fretted. "If only we knew!"

"There was always secrecy," Jericho nodded. "It ran deep."

"That it has," he agreed. "Now that I know everything, I should inform the other Kings that are left. There are Kings, but then there are simply kings that claim they are with no crown or title. Those that still have their Queens are the lucky ones, but none hold soul-mated crowns. I do worry about the gala now. There is much polluted Fae blood in the Realm."

"Don't worry," Cyborg chuckled. "I'm creating something that will only allow pure Fae to this gala! They're not pure, they don't get in!"

"Really?" he mused. "Now that I would like to see!"

"Oh. There is something else about my wife," Jericho said. "You have heard of the ancient legends? Of life and death being born into the world?"

"I have. Vaguely. What of it?" King Ealdun asked.

"Darling..." Ambrosia frowned.

"He has never done us any wrong. What does Esmiralda think?" Jericho soothed.

"Hmm," she thought, as her posture straightened. " _I am Queen Esmiralda, speaking through my daughter. Yes, Ealdun. 'Tis me! When I died unjustly, my crown absorbed my memories and spirit. Such has been done with Elvey's crown, too, and his crown holds Aelfric's memories, as well. Tintagel's crown died, as it was torn off my husband's head, but it was revived just enough to release his spirit to King Jericho with his memories. So, my husband can live through him. King Elvey is able to live through young Robin by the memories that King Jericho gave to him. So, we are all here._ "

"Esmiralda..." he blinked. "It really is you! Isn't it?"

" _Like the gray you hide under your chin!_ " she said with a teasing giggle, and he blushed. Only she knew how to make him blush, and now he knew it was her. " _Now, let me see. The only way that you can know this precious secret about my daughter is if you sign the alliance treaty in the ballroom. Once it is done, you will be let in on the secret._ "

" _Essi,_ " Robin smiled, and she beamed at him. Jericho now looked at Ealdun with a small smile.

"I'll sign it! Where is it?" the King asked as he rose.

"This way," Bushido said. As they were leaving, Herald appeared with the royal jewelry.

"I replaced the crystals and charged them for you," he said and handed them over.

"I...you have my thanks, High Warlock!" Ealdun gaped and quickly put them back on. He couldn't believe that his crystals were replaced and charged up with such acute accuracy. Jinx helped escort him to the ballroom now to make sure he signed the treaty with the others.

"So, he is a King, too?" Starfire blinked.

"Yes. One as old as Tintagel and Elvey, if not a bit older," Jericho smiled. "I'm glad he lived."

"I grieve for his lost Queen," Ambrosia frowned. "To know that she was a victim of Sinlus..."

"He will die," Robin growled. "Don't worry about that!"

"Orin should, too," Cyborg muttered. "And, if Alston doesn't give back everything, I'll make a new hole in his head for him to look through!"

"It may improve his looks," Raven grinned. "I haven't seen him yet. I have no desire to."

"You dun wanna!" Beast Boy nodded, as he reverted human. "He's uuugly!"

"Is he?" she grinned.

"He's short and skinny with dark blue hair and red eyes. He looks like vampire zombie thing that rose up from the dead to eat your brains or possess you!" he grinned.

"Dark blue hair and red eyes? How quaint," she smirked.

"With pale skin and long ears, too. And he has a high voice!" he sang out. That got everyone laughing and snickering. "Seriously, he's like a walking train-wreck waiting to happen!"

"Like you, BB?" Cyborg grinned

"Hey!" he frowned and more laughter erupted from them. "At least I didn't just show up to be with Ambrosia! He did that, and he stole her stuff! He's a pervert!"

"Wait...is that why he showed up?" Raven blinked.

"Oh, yeah. I was there," Cyborg nodded. "Happened in the training room."

"I really hope he didn't abuse my belongings..." Ambrosia grimaced.

"Don't even think of that!" Jericho gaped.

"That he could even wear your dresses and use your stuff? Um...ew..." Beast Boy cringed.

"That would be pushing it," Raven muttered.

"Why would a boy wear a dress?" Starfire blinked.

"To make the owner of the dress mad," Jericho sighed. "And her husband, too."

"Just plain wrong!" Robin groaned and pressed his hands to his face. "So wrong!"

"Now, if he owned the dress, I wouldn't care. But...Ambrosia's dress? Yeah. That's creepy!" Cyborg shuddered. "And that's saying a lot!"

"What are you imposing?" Raven said with a small glare.

"Ah, nothing!" Cyborg grinned, and Robin started laughing softly.

"Raven's creepy, but she's not  _that_  creepy!" Beast Boy frowned. She looked at him with a light smile, and he found himself blushing. Jericho started to grin, and Ambrosia smiled softly.

"So, Beast Boy, are you and Raven going to try heavy petting?" Starfire grinned at them. That made Beast Boy and Raven both stare at her with gaping jaws, and Robin barked out laughter. Jericho and Ambrosia laughed and giggled at this. Cyborg was just eating this up as he laughed.

"And why would you ask such a question?!" Raven asked with a flustered look.

"Because Robin likes to do heavy petting with me!" she beamed. Now Robin turned beat red, and they all died laughing. "And Jericho and Ambrosia do it, too!"

"That we do," Jericho grinned wickedly and kissed his wife passionately.

"Dude, not here!" Beast Boy groaned.

"She's my wife..." Jericho smirked and held her in his lap now. "why shouldn't I? And it's in a castle that she and I own in one of  _our_  rooms. Tell us to get a room? We're in one!"

"That is so not fair!" Beast Boy steamed, and Robin was nearing the point of passing out from laughter now. They all looked over at Ealdun walked back in with Herald and Bushido. Jericho kissed his wife again and let her sit next to him, as she blushed.

"What did we miss?" Bushido grinned. Raven whispered to them, and he started cringing at first. Then he went beat red and cracked a grin.

"Say nothing," Robin warned with his own grin.

"Sure, Robin," Herald smirked.

" _I mean it,_ " he warned again with a softer tone. That made Herald swallow, and he grinned wider.

"I have signed the treaty," Ealdun said and sat back down. Herald, Jinx, and Bushido nodded.

"Very well," Robin sighed and pulled out a vial of Ambrosia's glowing, golden nectar. "Do you know what this is? Be careful with it. It's...very rare."

"I have no idea!" he blinked, as he took it. Bushido, Jinx, and Herald had no clue, as well.

"This was produced from my wife. When she is kissed, and you are wounded, this fills your mouth for you to swallow down for internal mending. Her name is Ambrosia, and the nectar is the same. Liquid life. The nectar of the gods," Jericho said.

"I...unbelievable..." Ealdun gaped. The three Titans gaped with just as much shock.

"The next child she bears, if King Elvey and King Tintagel are present, will have the powers of death," Jericho sighed. "That child will be the one to end Sinlus for good and destroy the power of the Unseelie Court. So...you see why Sinlus wanted to kill us and claim Queen Ambrosia for himself."

"She can create life within herself...but...that means the next child would need to be from her directly! And she is helping Aelfric be reborn first?" he asked.

"Yes. When Aelfric is born, her next pregnancy will be with that child," Jericho nodded.

"And from life came death..." the King thought. "Sinlus...he knew of this!"

"From life came death?" Raven frowned. Her robe was now thinking furiously with various thoughts to her. It remembered something and was trying to recall it in full.

"Yes! Queen Ambrosia is life, and now she must give birth to death! If she gives birth to death, it could kill all of us!" he paled. "That is the real reason why she was hunted!"

"What do you mean?!" Robin hissed now, as he sat up with alarm.

"Long ago, it was told that a forbidden union would happen, but it would give way to life," Ealdun started carefully. "It was prophesied that the creators of this life would suddenly vanish without a trace, and that the life they made would disappear, as well. When the time became dire, the life would return, and the creators of this life would reappear to help life make death to gain vengeance on all that irked them and lost their way. You could say that this death is the 'Ultimate Judgment'. This child of death will be able to Judge if one is worth living, or simply needs to die with a mere glance."

" _A grim reaper would be unleashed upon the world!_ " Raven, Jinx, Herald, Jericho, and Robin muttered out softly. Ambrosia was fretting.

"It's not your fault!" Beast Boy said quickly and hugged her. "It's not your fault..."

"No, it isn't," Jericho frowned and pulled her to him. "It's never your fault, dearest!"

"I don't want to be the...cause of such...such..." she whimpered, and Robin sucked in his breath. He wanted to help her, but Starfire was with them. He couldn't chance it.

" _My daughter, bring Essi out again. Let us see if she can shed more light,_ " Robin said, as Elvey quickly took control. " _She knew what you were and told none of us. It is time she told us everything._ "

" _You're right!_ " Jericho nodded, when Tintagel emerged. " _Esmiralda, explain yourself now!_ "

" _Ah,_ " Ambrosia cringed, as her mother came through. " _Very well. I suppose it is time. Yes. I knew my daughter was the 'life' from the prophesy. It is why I told her to shield herself from others and to never leave my presence or Tintagel's. Even Elvey's presence helped protect her, since he was her father, too. When we discovered his crown was a soul-mate to mine, we could do nothing. My crown was already equal with Tintagel's. We knew that, if she became one with a soul-mated crown, she would be far more protected, since many would fear the wrath of the crowns._ "

"So much truth in that," Ealdun shuddered. "I was around when I witnessed the outcome."

" _So, when Aelfric was born, we planned to have them married. This way, Elvey could pass down his crown safely to his heir, and I could give mine to my daughter. We had to hide her identity! And when she found out that I loved Elvey as much as Tintagel, we had to hide that fact of her half-brother. Aethelwyne was ready to agree, but she let herself die when Elvey confessed his love for me in her presence. She did not know that Ambrosia was Elvey's, too, you see. Even on her deathbed, she never knew. I saw Aethelwyne as a sister and a dear friend! It killed me when she passed on, but she was determined to have Elvey's crown soul-mated to mine. It was needed. Soul-mated crowns are rare and exceptionally powerful._ "

Robin grimaced, as Starfire would be just like Aethelwyne. Elvey mentally vowed to him that it wouldn't happen. A small nod was given, and he took a deep breath.

" _Brother? You're all right?_ " Jericho asked gently.

" _Yes. It's the memory of Aethelwyne. That's all. I'm fine,_ " Robin nodded.

" _As it stands now,_ " Ambrosia sighed with her mother speaking. " _when Sinlus saw my daughter at the gala, I knew he had something to do with Elvey's death. Sinlus would_ never _have dared to step foot near my daughter when Elvey was around! I knew it was just a matter of time before the prophecy took effect. But, I also knew that Tintagel, Elvey, and I would come back. As for how long, I am unsure. I think it depends on how long we are wanted. Of course, we are going to stay until the bitter end when all of this is over, but I know it will depend on King Jericho, my daughter, and young Robin, too. As for the child of death to be born, as long as the child is kept hidden and raised with true justice in mind, everything will be righted. But, if the child is stolen and taught evil ways...we are all doomed._ "

"So, we teach the child how to be raised properly. How to use its powers in the right and not abuse them. We show the child how to be humble and appreciate life, and we will guard this child to ensure it will never be taken. That would be the only way to do it," Ealdun nodded. "Then that is what we shall do. I shall help aid in raising this child properly when it is born! I will assist in training this child of the old ways of honor and traditions. You have my vow, my alliance, and my trust."

" _Thank you, Ealdun,_ " she smiled warmly.

"Now, I do want to meet each of you, eh, Titans, face to face, and I would love to learn more about all of you. Is that possible?" he asked.

"Of course!" Robin smiled and stood up. "I am Robin, the leader of the Titans, as you know. I helped form them and helped unite them. I'll let each one introduce themselves to you."

"I'm Cyborg. Half human and half robot," he grinned, as he stood up to nod.

"I'm Beast Boy! We met!" he grinned a fanged grin.

"I am Raven," she said. "and we have also met."

"I am Starfire! I am a princess from the planet of Tamaran!" she beamed. She moved to Robin's side and kissed his cheek to make him blush.

"They have a thing for each other," Beast Boy whispered.

"Oh," Ealdun chuckled. Then he studied Robin again and seemed to blink. Now he noticed Robin's scent.  _Could it be?!_

"Later," Jericho muttered.

"No. I must speak with you now," Ealdun said quickly. "Then I shall continue with introductions! This is important!"

"Star, I need help finding some books in the library," Raven said. "Herald, Jinx, and Bushido, please come with me."

"Well, I'm not budging!" Beast Boy said with a pouty look.

"You don't have to go. Cyborg, can you check on the ballroom? Apparently, this meeting isn't over," Robin frowned. Cyborg took the hint and left. When the door was secure, Ambrosia sighed.

"Why does he smell of Fae blood?!" Ealdun asked.

"Because I belong to her," Robin said. "Her nectar made a well of magic in me. It would have killed me, if I hadn't done this, and Queen Esmiralda confirmed it. Ambrosia's crown approved of me, as did King Elvey, King Tintagel, and Queen Esmiralda. I had to take her blood, and she took mine in turn. So, yes. I have a bit of Fae blood. This is to remain a secret. Not many know, and, well, Starfire does not know, either. She is my life mate, in a sense."

"Hmm," Ealdun frowned. "I will keep your secret safe."

"Thank you," Robin nodded. "I was surprised at what I endured. I can tell you that!"

"And you did survive it! But how?!" he gaped.

"It wasn't easy," Robin admitted. "It was the worst experience of my life. Which reminds me, can I have that vial of nectar back?"

"Oh..." he frowned and gave it over. Robin downed it and gasped with relief.

"He's addicted to her nectar. The only one I know of that is," Jericho sighed.

"Robin," Ambrosia smiled softly, and he moved to kiss her to drink down the nectar she offered him. After that, he was able to pull away and sigh.

"Does she ensnare with it?!" Ealdun gaped.

"No. This was something that simply happened," Robin said. "It wasn't supposed to have happened, but Sinlus botched a memory in the mind link I had with King Jericho."

"Yes. Sinlus gave Robin a very personal memory of Queen Ambrosia slapping Aelfric in her youth. He tried to kiss her brashly, and she had to defend herself," Jericho nodded.

"That memory opened the way to having me kiss her. Then it all sort of happened from there," Robin said. "None of this is her fault. I was warned of the risks. I was offered a chance to back away. I didn't. I need this magic to not only protect her, but to lead the Titans against the Unseelie Court."

"Like a true leader. I see now. And what is Beast Boy? The same?" Ealdun asked.

"Nope! I'm someone she can trust during her pregnancy. Also, because of her crown, and because I broke her curse,  _and_  because I can turn into animals, she has this thing with me. Empathy? Yeah. I feel it and react to it in both human and animal forms. I can't control it. I just want to make sure she's always happy. Because of that, I don't let anyone touch her that doesn't belong with her," he said with a firm nod. She beamed at him, and he moved to snuggle into her side and sigh.

"Like a cat to an owner, but hardly an owner. It does make me curious," Ealdun smiled. At this, he became a cat and rubbed against her with a heavy purr. That got them chuckling and giggling.

"And what are you curious of?" Jericho asked.

"What form was used to see her to free her curse?" he asked. Beast Boy jumped to the floor and became the unicorn. His horn was actually glowing now, and he whinnied. Ealdun was completely stunned at this. Ambrosia gasped with soft delight, and Beast Boy nuzzled her.

"So, the magic is in the horn," Jericho chuckled. "I was right."

"Be careful, Beast Boy. There are many Fae that would do anything they could to cut that horn off. Use that form sparingly, if you can," Robin warned. Beast Boy nodded and shifted back to human. He pressed into Ambrosia's side again and got a fond caress in his hair.

"And, King Jericho. How did you see Beast Boy's memories to believe him?" Ealdun asked.

"If I show you, it would have to be done to you. I will see your memories to learn more of what happened in the past thousand years. If you will allow me?" Jericho asked.

"Oh. I have many secrets," he winced.

"I will not spill any. You have my vow," Jericho nodded. "You are an ally, and your secrets are safe. You have signed our treaty of alliance. I will not share what I learn unless it is vital."

"Very well," he nodded. Jericho now stared his deep green eyes into Ealdun's light blue-grey eyes and sank down into him. "Oh! I cannot move!"

"While I am in your mind, I control your actions, your powers, and your voice," Jericho said. "I will be as quick as I can."

"And will you do this to others?!" he grimaced.

"If I must to learn the full truth of things," Jericho sighed. Five minutes passed, and Jericho released the King. They both looked at each other, and Robin smirked.

"You...are a very deadly King. A soul-mated crown on your brow. The memories of King Tintagel, King Elvey, and Aelfric at your whim. Mine now, as well. And your magic? How is it?" Ealdun asked. "I can only imagine the power that was granted to you!"

"It is as great as King Elvey's was in life," Jericho chuckled. "My crown was his, and it gave me his well. I have also inherited King Tintagel's ability to adapt to magic and work with it. Robin has just started getting a well of magic within him, and it grows steadily."

"That and I have King Elvey's pendant. It adopted me," Robin smiled and let him see it. Ealdun had missed it when it was charging, and now he was shaking with disbelief.

"Hmm," Jericho frowned, as he sorted through the new memories. "Sinlus has been busy."

"He's been a thorn in the side of the Seelie Court since the deaths here," Ealdun nodded.

" _And he has no idea that we live again,_ " Robin snickered. " _Oh. In order to preserve this truth, you may want to enchant yourself with mind protection. We don't want to spill everything out at once._ "

"To keep the upper hand? Very true," Ealdun mused. "But, I will have to tell the others."

"Tell them to keep the secrecy to help us defeat Sinlus," Ambrosia suggested.

"Now that can work!" he nodded. "All right. My curiosity is sated enough. I shall see to the other Titans. If I may?"

"By all means," Robin smiled. When Ealdun walked out of the room, Ambrosia let out a ragged sigh, and Jericho hugged her to him. She was very tired now, but she wouldn't be able to rest until the King was gone. Her pregnancy was finally starting to sap her strength.

"Hush, my darling," Jericho smiled and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine."

"I really hope so," she frowned.

"It will!" Beast Boy nodded.

"We'll ensure it," Robin said. "Do you want to see the treaty?"

"I think I can do that," she smiled. Jericho kept a protective hand on her belly, as he walked her out of the room. "Darling, what do you think we should wear at the gala?"

"Let's wear our wedding clothes," Jericho grinned. Robin looked at him with amusement.

"Are you for real, dude?! Do you know how many are gonna want to dance with her?" Beast Boy frowned. "I dunno about that."

"If they want to dance with her, they have to go through you, me, Robin, and every Titan in the room," Jericho smirked. That had Robin grinning with approval.

"Oh. I asked Beast Boy what sort of music most Fae listen to now. He said something about a night club?" she frowned. Robin started to cough, as he held back a laugh.

"Hmm," Jericho chuckled. "Beast Boy, you're out of luck. The newer generation loves that stuff. Now, pureblood Fae may go back to the old music, but they still find the 'night club' type a bit to their liking, too. Ambrosia has yet to be exposed to it."

"Really? We could hit up a club when it becomes daylight here," Robin chuckled.

"It would be crowded. Darling, if we go, you stay glued to my hip," Jericho warned.

"Dearest, I'm with child and it's starting to show. Why would I want to leave your hip?" she mused, and he grinned as he pressed a kiss to her mouth.

"Teasing already?" he growled and kissed her again.

"Should I not?" she asked and ran a hand up his chest.

"Evil wife!" he growled. As a response, she moved ahead of him and wiggled her hips in her dark green gown. He muttered something, and Robin barked out laughter.

"What?" Beast Boy blinked at him.

"The walls look lonely," Jericho smirked and reached out to pull her back to him. "Shall I make a new ornament? I'm sure you'll decorate it nicely!"

"And how will I be held up?" she grinned wickedly. He spun her around to face him and kissed her heavily. Robin whistled and pulled Beast Boy away from them.

"Let's just give them a few minutes," Robin chuckled.

"No kidding!" Beast Boy grinned widely. "I am a bit worried, though."

"About what?"

"Jericho thinks she can handle a night club. Dude, we  _know_  what can happen in one of those! And if there's Fae that like that stuff..."

"Okay, where is Beast Boy, and why isn't he making stupid remarks?!"

"Hey!"

"Seriously! Half the time, you come up with these weird issues that are hard to believe!"

"Robin, you aren't the only serious one now. You know?"

"I figured that. Don't worry. We will all keep her safe," Robin nodded. Beast Boy could only hope he was right. Jericho was soon carrying Ambrosia towards them, and he was frowning softly.

"Believe it or not, Beast Boy, you may have brought up something intense. We will need to take utmost caution, if we do take her out. Or, should we just have a night club here?" he grinned.

"Now that would be interesting," Robin grinned back.

"During the day, huh?" Beast Boy smirked.

"Why not? We'll be safe here, and no one can try to get in. Or we could have a night club at the smaller castle. We could do that, too," Jericho thought.

"I would like to see a real one, though. I am most curious," Ambrosia smiled.

"You'll need a good outfit," Jericho muttered.

"I think I have one in mind," she said a touch wickedly. That made Robin look at her curiously, and Beast Boy tilted his head at her. "I won't reveal it."

"Give us a hint?" he grinned.

"Skin-tight and skimpy," she chuckled. Jericho's jaw dropped. Robin and Beast Boy both stared in shock. She beamed at them both and kissed her husband.

"Glued. To my hip. No exceptions!" Jericho growled.

"Of course, dearest," she murmured and nibbled his neck.

"Impossible wife!" he growled out softly and let her kiss him again.

"Eh...are you sure you want to see the treaty?" Beast Boy asked with a grin.

"I think my wife and I will retire to the bedroom. Take care of King Ealdun, Robin," Jericho muttered, as he cleared his throat and carried his wife off. Robin was simply laughing his head off after they left, and Beast Boy was sniggering like mad. When Robin was able to breathe, he focused on control and walked with Beast Boy to the ballroom. The King saw them and waved them over.

"Robin! I was going to head back out to my castle. May I bid farewell to King Jericho and Queen Ambrosia? Are they around?"

"I will be escorting you and seeing to you," Robin said with a small grin. "They retired early."

"Oh?" Ealdun frowned.

"Technically, they're still newly-weds," Beast Boy grinned.

"Oh! Well, yes. I understand that!" Ealdun said and laughed. "Very well. I shall see them at the gala, hopefully?"

"Yes. They will be there," Robin nodded. Ealdun shook hands with him and with Beast Boy before teleporting out. His energy signature was saved to the crystal defenses to mark him as an ally.

"So, what now?" Beast Boy asked.

"Gather everyone around, and we'll see what they think about the night club idea," Robin sighed. He moved to sit down at one of the tables and Starfire joined him.

"King Ealdun is wonderful!" she beamed.

"He is very trustworthy," he smiled. "Everything good?"

"Oh, yes! Um...I do miss you, Robin. I feel that we have no more time together," she frowned.

"I know. I not only have a city to protect and Titans to lead, but now I have castles to defend! And I'm going to have one heck of a training in my dreams. I know it seems like I'm not giving you attention, Star. I'm sorry about it. I warned you it might happen, too," he sighed.

"I know. And you are doing this to preserve the last of a great race. It...is a lot," she smiled softly and placed her hand over his. "Just do not forget who you are. And do not forget about me."

"Never happen!" he grinned, reached over to draw her close, and kissed her passionately. She found herself blushing hard after it was done, and he chuckled.  _She didn't have the honey taste I have come to love. Her skin wasn't as soft and pure as my Queen's. But, Ambrosia told me to love Starfire as much as I loved her. I was told to marry Starfire._ Even as Starfire drifted off with her head in the clouds, he found himself wincing. He took out a vial of nectar to swallow it down, and he gasped. One vial held about two mouthfuls of her nectar. He took out a second vial and drank it down to satisfy his craving. Pocketing the empty vials now, he ran a hand over his forehead.

"Still need the drugs?" Cyborg asked and sat down with him.

"Yeah. It takes two vials to remove the craving. It's mainly for the magic that's growing in me. It's trying to open up more, but it's going to take time," Robin said. "I don't know how else to explain it. Is everyone gathered around? I need to ask for a group opinion."

"Yep! We are all waiting for our ever-so-glorious leader!" Cyborg grinned. Robin made a face at him, and he got a scowl for a response. He grinned and stood up to look at the Titans around him.

"Ambrosia asked what sort of music Fae listened to now. Beast Boy commented on no night clubs. Guess what? Fae like night clubs. And Beast Boy got her curious into seeing one. Jericho doesn't seem to mind it, but she  _must_  be protected at all times. I offered to make the small castle into a bit of a night club getaway, but she wants to see the real deal. Since night clubs are, obviously, open at night, the Fae will come out. Any Fae will. So, what do you guys think?" Robin asked.

"It's risky," Raven frowned. "If she shows off who she is, then many will try to steal her."

"Fae can smell other Fae, right?" Herald asked.

"Yes. They can," Robin nodded. "And, with me having magic developing in my body now, thanks to Elvey, I'll be sensed. Maybe even challenged. The Fae bloodline is weak, from what we were told. But, we need to think of Ambrosia's safety."

"I'll be her bouncer!" Cyborg grinned.

"You and me both!" Beast Boy nodded.

"So, we will be going to a night party?" Starfire blinked.

"In a sense. It was the same place your sister took us to long ago before she got arrested. Only difference is that she's not here, and you'll have fun," Robin smiled. She beamed at him now.

"We shall have to make sure she's safe," Jinx said.

"Oh, we will," Kid Flash grinned. "I'd like to party with you!"

"Oh, you!" she blushed, and he kissed her cheek.

"So, is everyone up for this challenge? It will happen when dawn breaks over the sky," Robin said. Agreements were made all around and plans were made. "I would suggest that, if you need sleep now, then grab it! Late night tonight!"

As they dispersed to do just that, Robin found himself yawning. He felt drained. Then he winced, as pain hit his chest. Then he coughed and gasped, as he fell to his knees in shock.

"Robin?!" Cyborg gaped. "Let me help ya up!"

"No! It's a fit! He has to work it out on his own, remember?!" Beast Boy hissed. "Come on, dude! Fight this! You can do it!"

"Robin?!" Starfire gaped, as he screamed and struggled for air. Raven was gaping now with Jinx. Herald didn't know what to think. Bushido and Aqualad were in shock at how much pain Robin was going through. None of the Titans knew what to think of this.

"No, Star, BB is right. This is Robin's fight now. He has to pull through this on his own," Cyborg said and put a hand on her shoulder to hold her back. The other Titans were kept back until Robin was able think again. Ambrosia was told by Jericho that a fit hit him, and she was sending thoughts of love and strength to him. It helped him fight back the pain, and he won out.

"I'm okay! Give me a moment!" Robin grounded out, as the pain left his limbs. He pulled out the jar of Fae honey he had and fed himself a fingerfull of it to ease his hunger. He sighed and shook before standing up. Another deep breath of focus was given and then he was fine.

"Robin..." Starfire frowned.

"It's from the magic. It's why Elvey needs to train me. I'm okay now," he smiled warmly.

"How long does this happen?" Kole asked.

"It's random. I don't know when they hit," he frowned. "But, if I fight it, I get stronger. If it overcomes me, I lose mental strength. Elvey told me that it took him ten years to master it. He's amazed at how well I'm overcoming this. He has really high hopes for me!"

"So, when do you start training?" Raven asked.

"The moment I go to sleep. Which is the moment we get back to the Tower. Let's go, Titans!" Robin smiled, and they nodded. They used the teleporter to get back to the Tower, and they moved off into their bedrooms. Robin lay back in his bed and sighed, as he closed his eyes to rest.


	20. Chapter 20

"Wake up!" a voice shouted in his ear, and he found himself flipped onto the ground. The first thing he noticed was his surroundings.  _It looked like an old warehouse of sorts with boxes, cement walls, concrete floors, and lots of space for moving around freely. There were no windows, but the place seemed oddly lit up._  The next thing he noticed, as he coughed and stood up, was Elvey grinning at him cheerfully with a fatherly wave that clearly showed that 'dad won'.

"Father!" Robin scowled and stood up to dust himself off. Then he gave him a dirty look.

"What? I gotta keep my son on his toes, right?" he chuckled and messed up his son's hair. "It's your first training dream! Guess what this means?"

"You'll go easy on me?" Robin smirked, as he fixed his hair back to rights.

"Nope!" Elvey grinned and suddenly grabbed him to fling him towards a wall. "Come on, Robin! Dodge me! I need to test your physical strength to see where you stand! Think of this as an endurance test of sorts. I'll be checking various things to see what you need to improve on."

"You could have warned me!" Robin snarled, as he twisted in the air to have his feet land against the wall, jumped off of it, backflipped, and landed on his feet expertly. Then he blinked when Elvey snuck up silently behind him and knuckle-rubbed his head to get him angry.

"And miss out on the fun? Never!" he laughed with a form of ecstatic joy.

"You did this with Aelfric, didn't you?!"

"No. He was more magic based. He didn't have the real strength for this. I did this with Tintagel!" he snickered. Robin gaped and ducked, as Elvey did a roundhouse kick over his head and dodged Robin's counterattack. "You are so slow, Robin! Come on! This is just the warm up!"

" _What?!_  What do you mean this is a warm up?!" Robin freaked and ducked another flying kick.

"You have my memories, Robin. Use them!" Elvey growled and picked up the pace. Now Robin understood what was going on, as he defended, blocked, countered, and attacked back with his bare hands.

"I should have my weapons!" he muttered. Then he blinked, as his weapons belt appeared.

"You want them? Have them! Use them! Just don't expect them to work on me. Remember, son, we can  _hear_  things approaching us now! You need to  _use_ your new senses! Try it! You have them now for a reason. They are as valuable as your weapons. They are your new tools!" Elvey said and suddenly seemed to vanish in thin air. Once he focused on his enhanced senses, he dodged Elvey's sudden attack from the side. "Excellent! You got it! Now, let's see if you can fight with distractions."

"What?" Robin asked. Music suddenly filled his ears. Loud, blaring music. The kind to make one's ears bleed if they didn't turn down the volume. He tried to struggle past it, and Elvey pummeled him down with a punishing fist to the gut. He got shoved back against the wall, and he gasped.

"Focus past the music! This is important!" Elvey growled and vanished again. Then Robin blinked and realized why he was being taught this.  _The night club. I would have to focus past all of the noise to keep Ambrosia safe!_ He had a focus now and a goal in mind. First he removed the base drums. Then the squeals of the blazing trombones. After that, it was simply blocking off the rest of the sounds he was getting assaulted with. Once it was quiet, he could tell the music was still going by the feel of the ground, and by how the walls and boxes shook around him. But, this time, he heard Elvey come at him, and he dodged him. He dodged him again and kicked out to get the feel that he hit something solid. He actually tagged Elvey in the side when he darted past him.

"I got you?!" Robin blinked and winced, as he lost focus. The blaring music came back in full to assault him with a vengeance. He fell to his knees and grimaced with his hands over his ears. Elvey had the music cease and watched his son gasp with relief.

"Now you understand why I'm training you like this," Elvey said seriously and knelt down to see him eye to eye. "You need to be able to remove distractions and keep focus. We don't know what's going to happen at this night club. More importantly, we don't know what will happen at the gala, too."

"I see," Robin said. He recovered quickly and stood up with Elvey.

"This time, I'm going to use magic against you. You are going to learn your first shielding spell. It's basic. It's crude. But, it will buy you time, as I find the culprit that tried to attack us. I'll also teach you how to detect glamours, and how to become immune to charming. As a matter of fact...hah! You're already immune! Ambrosia's blood locked you to her. You're 'claimed' and no one can try to steal your heart. However, once they figure this out, you'll need to get rough and give them a heavy warning to keep quiet. Of course, I'll help you with that! That's the fun part of everything!" he grinned.

"I'm sure," Robin smirked. For a dreamy hour, Robin was trained on resisting glamours, sensing charms, and 'tasting' the magic of others. He was taught how to put up a weak shield that wouldn't last long, but would get him out of tight spots. He was also taught how to enhance himself slightly to increase his chances of escaping when the shield wore out.

"That's enough basic training for now. Anymore new stuff and you'll drain yourself. You did well! Remarkably well! But, there is one last test we must do," Elvey said. "You can do this. You have enough magic left in you, and it will regenerate quickly when we're done."

"What is it?" he asked.

"A combination of everything. Think of it as, oh, a pop quiz!" Elvey beamed.

"Oh, man...!" Robin sagged. Elvey got into a defensive stance and so did Robin. Now the blaring music came back in full, magic was used, and Robin was dodging attacks left and right. He put what he learned to the test and passed with flying colors. The shield was used to block Elvey so he could dodge away and counter with his own attack. The music was kept back easily now. He was finally at a point that he was able to protect Ambrosia and himself with distractions all around him.

"Very good!" Elvey praised him and clapped him on the back. "Oh. Since you did so well, I have a surprise for you! Come."

"Yes, Father," he smiled. Then he noticed something. "Um...where's the pendant? I thought I was wearing it! You have it?!"

"Yes. Two reasons for this. When you're awake, it's with you to protect you. Not only that, but because I'm with you. In dream training, it comes back to me, since you're not strong enough for it. When you get strong enough, you will wear the pendant and I will not," Elvey smiled. That made Robin frown, but he nodded. "The other reason is, because, if it gets to be almost drained of its charge, it will draw magic from you. And that could be very dangerous. That's also why it's on me. You're using magic now, and you're almost drained. Your body would start using the pendant instinctively. You burn more magic than you know, and you'd run through the pendant's charge like nothing."

"What?" Robin asked.

"My pendant is special. It was designed to be like a crown. Crowns feed off of strong magic, Robin. The moon will charge it, but why do you think I'm using it so sparingly?" he asked and turned to put a protective hand on his son's shoulder. "If I drained the pendant completely, it would instinctively turn to the next source of magic to charge from if there is no moon out. And that's you. If it drains your magic, you'll be in severe pain. It would be like a leech until it got up to about a quarter of a charge. And that's a  _lot_  of magic! It's about five hundred moon crystals. When your magic well is able to open up more, only then will you be able to understand the true power of the pendant."

"How did you get the pendant?"

"When Essi and Tintagel got married, they knew my potential. They knew I was going to be a part of their group. Especially when that night happened at the gala. Essi was able to entice a Dwarven Master of the Forge to create the pendant for me. As a seer, she was able to assist him with some issues that he had. When she asked him for the pendant to be made, she knew he would be able to help me. The pendant was to show that I could be like royalty when the time came, and to be treated like royalty until then. The crystal was one the Dwarf had, too. It was part of his special stock, and secretly hidden for a special craft. When he learned of what Essi wanted done, and when he saw me, he knew that the crystal was to be used specifically for me. That the pendant was very important. And it was a challenge. In the form of a crown, but not a crown. My pendant is the only one of its like. No others exist."

"So, the pendant is as intelligent as a living crown?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, when I was crowned King, my pendant and the crown I wore seemed to come to a mutual understanding. I honestly believe that my pendant could have been a soul crown of itself. But, it was mainly a focus point for magic. And, in time, when I know you're strong enough for the pendant in dreams, I will have you drain the pendant and experience the leeching effect so you can push through it. I had to do it, too. Aelfric never got this pendant.

"Essi took it from my body to keep it safe the moment she found me dead. My pendant trusted her, and her only, because I loved her. She was the only one able to handle it with my energy. You could say that it 'overcharged' itself a bit to try to take as much magic as it could from me as I died. The extra charge is stored in the chain. I can feel it. So, you have one chance that it will take that excess if you accidentally drain the pendant. Remember this and hope it doesn't come to that. But, if I'm training you on how to use it, the pendant will know and will not touch the excess charge."

"So, your crown and the pendant had an understanding?"

"Yes. I'm honestly starting to think that it was my pendant that held my spirit in full. The crown held my memories and enough of 'me' to let me live through you. Once my memories were given to you, the pendant now sees you as 'me', come to think of it. Regardless, the pendant is just as aware as my daughter's crown. As well as my old crown. Treat my pendant with respect, and it will protect you."

"Okay," he nodded. Elvey gave his shoulder a fatherly squeeze and led him outside the dream warehouse. The small marble structure on the mountain was waiting for them, and he blinked at who was sitting at the table. "Ambrosia!"

"Robin!" she smiled and stood up in a soft, creamy-brown gown. "Father!"

"My daughter," Elvey smiled and hugged her to him. "She's been waiting here for you, Robin."

"Is Jericho here, too?" Robin asked.

"Right here!" Jericho said and moved to punch him in the face. Robin dodged it quickly and backflipped out of the way. He laughed at Robin and grinned wickedly. "Sorry! I had to test you!"

"Jericho! That was uncalled for!" Ambrosia scowled at him and poked him in the chest, as Elvey nearly died laughing. "Don't you dare do that again! That was simply rude!"

"It's fine, my Queen," Robin chuckled. "I'll have to spar against you now!"

"Next time. I promise that," he grinned. "Elvey. Where are Tintagel and Esmiralda?"

"Right here," Tintagel grinned at him, and they actually hugged like father and son.

"It's good to see you, Father," Jericho smiled at Tintagel and got his hair ruffled.

"Always, my son," he chuckled.

"You and...Tintagel...the same as Elvey and I?!" Robin gaped.

"It was the only way for me to train," Jericho said. "Which means that we are brothers and sister in the dream world! What do you think of that?"

"We are most definitely not!" Ambrosia scowled, and he laughed haughtily. Tintagel was snickering with Elvey now. "You two are 'adopted in' and are perfectly capable to be with me!"

"Daughter, don't have such thoughts," Esmiralda smiled softly, as she walked over.

"Sorry, Mother," she sighed.

"Training went well, Robin?" Tintagel asked.

"Very well!" Robin grinned.

"Oh, good! You do know that, at the end of each week, you have to spar against me with everything you know, right?" Tintagel grinned a bit wickedly now.

"You didn't say that, Father!" Robin scowled, and Elvey laughed.

"It's so lovely to be here," Ambrosia said with a soft smile. Then she sighed.

"Darling?" Jericho frowned. The others looked at her.

"I suppose it would be a bit strange if Aelfric showed up," she smiled.

"He will not show up," Elvey said grimly. "He will think he's still betrothed to you. Maybe after he's born with no memories. That would be the only time."

"I don't want my son to kiss his mother like that!" Jericho grimaced. "And they were related!"

"Awkward," Robin agreed. "But, what's the plan?"

"You know how to help protect her against, oh, pretty much what the new age Fae know. They don't know anything more than little magic spells. You can easily fight them off with no problems. But, we should still do a test run of a night club. Right here. Father? Elvey? What do you think?" Jericho asked. "I honestly think that this is needed."

"And how would my daughter, your wife, be?" Esmiralda frowned.

"No danger in dreams, Mother. Not with all of them here," Ambrosia giggled, and her fathers grinned a bit wickedly. "What did you have in mind?"

"Okay," Elvey grinned and focused for the warehouse to come back, but this time it was electronica music that was blaring all over. A heavy crowd was in the building now, and Ambrosia found herself tucked away in a corner. "Robin, you need to find my daughter. The catch? Jericho is going to stop you with everything he has. Essi, brother, and I will watch to make sure nothing bad happens. If something bad starts up, the scene ends, and that will be it. I know I gave you a pop quiz, but this is the real deal. The true test for what is to come. You should have enough recharged magic. Ready, son?"

"I am!" Robin nodded. He found himself in the middle of the crowd of rowdy dancers. Jericho was watching him from afar and saw Robin as the enemy. Ambrosia sat huddled in her dark corner and waited patiently, as the music echoed around her. She actually started to like it and realized why the Fae race liked night clubs. The only problem for her was how dark it was. It made her shiver. When her fear started up with a few memories of her entrapment, Robin's focus centered on her.

He blocked out the music effortlessly, and dodged the mass of arms and legs that tried to delay him with ease. He centered in on her breathing and heartbeat. Then it was her scent of honey that drew him further along. When he got closer, he suddenly jumped back, as Jericho jumped down to swing a leg at him. The look in his eyes was murderous, and Robin now realized that he was seen as a threat. They didn't have to say a word to each other. They simply knew. Robin wanted to comfort Ambrosia. Jericho wasn't going to let him touch her. Robin had to find a way past Jericho.

He dodged a sudden lunge and ended up getting pulled back into the throng of dancing people. He ignored the looks from dancing girls and dodged various hands trying to aimlessly smack into him. He made it back to where Ambrosia was, but he paused.  _She was being moved._ Jericho had her clinging to him, and he was now on one of the ceiling beams with her. Robin jumped up on various boxes and used his grapple hook to get onto a metal beam. Jericho moved Ambrosia to a hanging balcony, and she cringed.  _It was shaky and unstable._  Robin hissed and used his senses to detect Jericho's every move. They chased each other over and around the beams effortlessly. Robin knew where to place his footing in the near dark space just by hearing and feeling the vibrations of the steel beams. When he sensed a spell being cast, he used his crude shield to block it, and he leapt from one beam to another.

Ambrosia had to remain perfectly still where she was. Even though it was a dream, it was still dangerous in feel and sight. The darkness of the place started to get to her again. She started to shake, as she remembered how she couldn't move during her curse, and she collapsed to her knees. Then she screamed when the hanging balcony shifted underneath her. Jericho gasped and moved faster than Robin to grab her and move her to a more secure area.

"Stop...please...! Make this stop...!" Ambrosia gasped, as tears started.

"A little longer, darling!" Jericho whispered. "Just a little longer! We're almost done!"

Tintagel hissed, as his daughter was in complete fear, but Elvey held up his hand.  _She was still safe._  Esmiralda was clearly upset about this, but Robin needed to learn how to protect Ambrosia in full.

"Robin should be with her after this," Tintagel muttered.

"He will," Elvey nodded.

"Good," Esmiralda said with a worried tone.

"My Queen!" Robin finally grounded out, as he dodged Jericho again. He focused on keeping his body moving. To ignore the pain in his joints. To keep breathing while he moved. All of his Martial Arts stamina training was in effect now, and he nearly forgot that this was all a dream.  _It was just too real._ He pulled his mind together and barely dodged an attack from Jericho. He blocked another spell aimed at him, and this time he faked a move on where he was going to go. He got past Jericho. Just as he reached Ambrosia, the night club faded, and he was standing in the pillar garden again, but he was panting softly.

"You have made me  _very_  proud, son!" Elvey smiled greatly at him and hugged him.

"You did very well, too!" Tintagel grinned at Jericho and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"My daughter?" Esmiralda asked gently, as she approached Ambrosia. She was in tears, and Jericho moved to hug her tight. Robin walked over now, and he was able to hug her.

"I don't...want to...do that again...!" Ambrosia shivered and gasped in his embrace. "Are night clubs...all like that?! Dark and...dingy and...and..."

"No. Not all of them," Robin said and cradled her. "Most of them are filled with bright lights."

"This was necessary to show Robin what he would need to do to protect you," Elvey sighed. "I know it hurt you, Ambrosia. I'm sorry that it did."

"I felt like...I was trapped away again..." she trembled. Robin gaped at this, and he hugged her tighter. Jericho blinked at this, and Tintagel stammered. Now Elvey understood why she felt so afraid, as his jaw dropped. Esmiralda had her hands to her mouth with complete shock.

"It was the darkness of the room," Jericho grimaced. "I see now."

"And how she had to remain still," Tintagel grimaced, as he felt through Jericho's memories on what his daughter went through. "Elvey, we can't do that to her again."

"We won't," he promised. "Different setting and a safer way, but not this. I had no clue."

"None of us did," Esmiralda frowned. "I have my daughter's memories available to me, but, out of respect, I did not look through them. Now that I am...oh, my daughter!"

"Mother!" Ambrosia cringed, and Robin let mother and daughter embrace.

"Sinlus! Will! Die!" Tintagel fumed.

"Tell me something I don't know!" Elvey seethed. Now Jericho was able to hold his wife close, and he pressed kisses to her forehead while he rocked her.

"Hush, darling. It's safe now. It's all right," he soothed, as he rubbed his hands up and down her back. "Robin, when you wake up, come and see her in Ireland. We'll be in the main bedroom."

"You know I'm going straight to her!" Robin growled out. "Are the others sleeping?"

"Yes, they are. You only slept for three hours. Another two can be spared easily. While you're with her, I'll ensure the ballroom is ready for the gala," Jericho nodded. "And, well, think of it this way. We got to spar each other!"

"Yeah," Robin agreed and sighed. "All right, I'm going to wake up!"

"More training when you sleep again," Elvey chuckled.

"I'll be ready for it, Father," he smiled. He got hugged tight, and the dream faded out.


	21. Chapter 21

He woke up feeling like he ran several marathons. He pulled himself up with a small groan and rubbed his forehead.  _From now on, I'm stretching before sleeping!_  He was able to stretch himself out now, and that relieved most of the pain. Elvey's pendant winked at him as though laughing at him, and he scowled. It was a long time since he did something new and exciting. The exercise was fresh and clearly invigorating to him. Then he thought about Ambrosia and took a deep breath to focus. He pulled out the moon crystal bag and used one to teleport to Ireland.

When he got there, he moved straight to the bedroom. Jericho was on his way out, and they gave each other brotherly smiles of knowing.

"I'll check on the ballroom. She's waiting for you," Jericho said. They clasped hands, nodded, and Robin made his way into the bedroom with the door shutting behind him. The moment he walked in, Ambrosia had leapt into his arms to hug him tight, and he hugged her back just as tight.

"You saved me, Robin," she said and pressed her face into his chest.

"Just doing my duty, my Queen," he whispered and breathed in her scent. One arm moved to secure her to his chest, and the other moved to run a hand through her long hair gently. She gazed up at him with her fantastic, deep blue eyes, and he moaned as his mouth crashed down on hers. He drank down her nectar first before lifting her up to take her over to the bed. Most of the first hour passed in solid bliss. His mask was removed, and his face was pressed against her neck.

"To think that you were supposed to fight against me enough for my husband to reach me in my second month," she sighed. "I would never have expected it to go this far."

"Mmm," he agreed lazily, as he pressed against her a bit more.

"Do you regret anything, Robin?"

"No."

"Not at all?"

"What is there for me to regret?"

"You weren't supposed to be with me."

"I belonged to you the moment I saw you."

"Is that so?"

"Mmm hmm. When I saw you sitting there on the couch all dirty and with Jericho clinging to you, at first I wondered what was going on. When I focused on your face, I knew how beautiful you were. I'm sure Beast Boy did, too. We all did. Jericho seemed to be the only one immune to it, but he always went by inner beauty than outer. You were...are...beautiful. Both inside and out. I honestly felt a touch jealous that Jericho was the one that Beast Boy went to, but Beast Boy was also right. None of us would have believed his story. It would have been too...too..."

"Weird?"

"Yes!  _Very_  weird. And, coming from Beast Boy, it would have gone in one ear and out the other. Likely told him he was over-exaggerating and to go to bed. But, when he brought you back, and I saw you...well...I was surprised. Then I saw you when you were cleaned up. I couldn't tear my eyes away from you until Jericho blocked you from my sight. Embarrassed? Definitely! But, I secretly wanted to see more of you. I always wanted to check on you after that. To defend you in my own way. Yeah, I got flustered when Jericho and you were always 'busy' when I contacted you guys. That's the way I always get around stuff like that.

"And...when I saw you in your wedding gown...I couldn't believe how beautiful you were. My heart ached...but I had to hide it. When you pressed against me when I was told to help support you...I didn't want to let you go. Eventually, I did start to feet outclassed by Jericho. I felt he was better than me at being a leader. The way he acted. The way he moved. It impressed me, and it made me want to do even better! That's why I accepted the memories, really. I wanted to get to the level that he was at. To know that I could lead even better, and to know what I was fighting against! I also...wanted to get closer to you, too. So...some of it was also for selfish reasons. Despite what Sinlus did, though it did push everything along. If he knew where it would lead, I don't think he would have done what he did."

"You are only human, Robin."

"I know, my Queen. And that's what makes me different."

"So, you are not worried about Starfire? About her feelings?"

"My Queen..." he sighed and ran a finger over her cheek. "you made me promise to love her as much as I love you. To always keep her happy. I was planning on doing that, anyways. Don't worry about that. You have nothing to fear."

"All right, Robin," she smiled and kissed his roaming finger before lightly nibbling. That made him growl and another ten minutes was lost in a wave of passion. As they rested, he chuckled.

"I actually got past Jericho. I amaze myself," he chuckled.

"I'm glad you stopped the dream when you reached me," she admitted. He trembled and pulled her closer to him. He buried his face in her honey-scented hair, and he let out a deep, contented sigh.

"I'm sure that Elvey won't let you stand in one spot anymore. I may suggest you being on a lighted platform that you can walk around on. Maybe have Tintagel or your mother for company," he thought aloud. "I won't let you stand alone anymore in darkness."

"I don't want to do that. Even though there was some light and music, it just..." she faltered, and he ran a finger over her lips to gently quiet her.

"I'll protect you with everything I have, my Queen. Never fear about that," he whispered.

"I love you, Robin."

"I love you, Ambrosia. My Queen. My dearest Queen," he muttered and kissed her gently.

"I do have some training advice for you," she giggled.

"Tell me?" he smiled, as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Did you know that each being has their own sound to their footsteps?"

"Really?"

"Yes. And they all have their own scents, too."

"Now...that's interesting! I never thought of that before!"

"Of course, King Elvey is different. His shoes have a permanent illusion on them to make it look like he's walking on the ground. He's actually walking on an inch of air!"

"You have got to be kidding me!" he said with a bit of surprise.

"No! I'm not! Why else do you think he is so soundless when he moves?"

"I really hate him now!" Robin grumbled, and Ambrosia giggled.

"He can push down on the air to imitate steps, but he rarely does that. Father says he cheats this way, and King Elvey simply grins at him."

"That's him, all right," Robin sighed. "But, you did give me some insight. I'll definitely put this to use. Hmm. Who's coming down the hall?"

"Jericho is. Do you hear him?"

"I do. It's like a slightly heavy hit on the heel to a softer tap of the front foot, as it comes down on the marble. Very interesting!" he grinned and moved to place his mask back on. He started to sit up, and he found himself leaning into her palm when she caressed his cheek. He reached up to put his hand over hers, kiss her palm, and then kiss her.

"Robin," she breathed, and he hugged her close. "I have been holding back on something. Its...not very pleasant. I didn't want to say anything...but..."

"What is it, my Queen?" he asked and let her move away to sit up with him.

"When you took my blood...well...I know you can sense where I am and my thoughts. But...you can also feel any pain I go through," she grimaced. "This includes labor pains."

"Uh..." he blinked.

"Being my human...it means you would know and feel everything about me. You really are an extension of me, Robin. On top of that, if I come under attack and become harmed, you will feel it. I wanted to say something! Anything! But...my crown approved of you. My parents approved of you. I had no say so. I could not deny you what you wanted," she swallowed and took a deep breath. "Furthermore, your life is...linked to mine now. If I perish, you could easily die with me. My blood is your life link. Your strength. Your magic. I do have the ability to 'feed' you magic, if you really need it. I prefer not to, only because it could drain me, and you need to grow on your own. There is also another thing that we can do, but, if we are not careful, it could drain us. So, it should be for emergencies only."

"I...um..." he was speechless.  _I had no idea how much I sacrificed! However, I was warned, and I took the plunge, anyways._   _There is no turning back._   _I have to keep pushing down the path I'm on._ He simply resolved to make sure that she would come to no harm. "Okay. What is this thing we can do?"

"Focus fully on me, Robin," she smiled and closed her eyes.

"Okay," he said and closed his eyes to do the same.

_:Can you hear me?:_  she whispered in his mind.

"What?!" he gaped at her now. She giggled at him and blushed softly. "How did you...?!"

"Telepathic communication, Robin. When your magic is great enough, we can talk for as long as we want. Right now, it's risky. When a Fae joins blood with a human, like I said, they become an extension of that Fae. Eventually, you can learn to see through my eyes, and I can do the same with yours. We can use each other to see from afar and hear things. Touch, too. Everything."

"Wow..." he said and shivered from the shocking surprise. "I had no idea..."

"I couldn't say anything, Robin. I had no say so. I was going to tell you more, but..."

"No. Don't say anything," he said and pulled her close. "There's no need to. I was told of various risks, and I accepted everything. Thank you for telling me this. I needed to know this."

"I know you did," she smiled.

"I'm going to need to train on using this new ability with you. And I have to train with Elvey. Things just keep getting better and better," he muttered.

"Do I apologize now? Or later?" she sighed.

"None of this was your fault, my Queen. Don't blame yourself anymore. Never blame yourself. I wanted this to happen," he whispered and ran a hand over her back. "I'll protect you even more this way. I wanted to belong to you. Everything about me, I gave to you. You gave some of yourself to me in return. I have no regrets. I have no desire to stop. This is what I want."

"Are you just saying this now?"

"No. You asked if I had any regrets. What did I say as my answer?"

"What is there...for you to...regret...?" she whispered, and he groaned when he kissed her hard. He needed her again, and he ended up shouting with her at the pinnacle of their passion. They lay gasping on the bed, and he had her nestled protectively against his chest. His pendant seemed to wink with joy at everything, and Ambrosia was able to place a small kiss on it. Robin looked at her with a form of intense love, and he kissed her deeply as his way of showing how much he loved her.  _I have no regrets._   _This is my choice, and I love the path I'm walking on now._

"Everything all right in here?" Jericho asked, as he finally opened the door. He had waited outside and listened to everything that was discussed. He was looking at Robin with a form of complete approval.  _This was my brother. My wife's human protector._   _In time, we will become equal in skills._

"It's fine," Robin chuckled.

"I wanted to tell you something interesting," Jericho mused.

"When it's interesting, it normally means something bad," he sighed.

"For us in training, yes," Jericho grinned. "Tintagel and Elvey will both be training us. Together. To work as a team.  _Against them!_ "

"What?!" Robin said and sat up with shock. "When?!"

"After the gala. And, my dear wife, your mother will be teaching you things, too, while we train. This way, we have to work towards you, but have to get past Tintagel and Elvey to reach you," he chuckled. "It will be the easiest thing to do. We will all be together, and you won't be alone."

"I think I like that a lot more than what happened before," she nodded.

"And, Robin, she could be distracting us," Jericho grinned.

"Aww..." he pouted. "Don't tell me this!"

"Too late!" Jericho snickered. "I'll be going through the torment, too!"

"I don't want to block out my Queen!" he sighed sadly.

"Sometimes you must, Robin, dear," she smiled softly. "If I'm screaming or scared, you need to focus on  _why_  I am showing such emotion. You will need to find out what is making me like this and focus on making that stop. You only focused on my feelings while I felt scared in the dream. You did not sense  _why_  I was showing so much fear. You were simply focused on me and trying to be with me. If you focused on why I was so scared, you would have been able to bring it to King Elvey's attention."

"I..." Robin grimaced and hung his head. "I'm sorry, my Queen."

"You didn't know. Now you do," she smiled and tapped his nose lightly to make him smile. "Jericho, love? Are the others moving in the Tower yet?"

"Cyborg is starting to wake up. You need to go back, Robin. Dawn is fast approaching here, and sunset is occurring at the Tower. Find a decent night club to go to, and we'll join you in the Tower," Jericho nodded. Robin nodded, kissed Ambrosia protectively, and moved off the bed to dress. He had a lot to think about, and he was sure the others were going to ask questions about his dream training. He hugged Ambrosia close and sighed.

"I don't want to leave," he admitted.

"I won't be long to arrive. I need to get my night club outfit finished up," she winked. That made him grin wickedly, and he kissed her again before teleporting back to the Tower. He was in his room, and he lay back on the bed. It was only moments later that he heard Cyborg's heavy footfalls approach and a knock on his door.

"Yo! Robin! You up?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah..." Robin groaned, as though just waking. He stretched, something he needed to do, anyways, and opened the door to chuckle.

"Did ya do any training?" Cyborg grinned.

"You have no idea," Robin sighed. "Let me shower first, and I'll tell everyone about it. I think Jericho should be here soon with Ambrosia."

"Right. Okay, I'll gather the crew!" Cyborg nodded. When he left, Robin closed the door and undressed to step into the shower. He started to scrub himself clean and felt another set of hands washing his back. He turned and found Ambrosia beaming at him.

"I need to get clean, too," she shrugged. He grinned, pulled her close, and kissed her hard to swallow down the nectar he needed. They scrubbed each other down leisurely and gave themselves to each other just as leisurely. It was slow, passionate, and pleasuring to the very end.

"I think I cleaned you inside and out," he grinned wickedly, as he ran his hand over her wet skin.

"Oh?" she giggled and whispered to him. Now he was gaping and sputtering with laughter.

"Um...I'll have to try that way to, eh, clean you..." he grinned.

"I hope so," she grinned back, and he growled. "I need to get back to Jericho. I'll be here within the hour. The sun is setting, right?"

"It is," he smiled.

"You should have Starfire watch the sunset with you. I know I will want to see it, too," she smiled softly. He remembered what happened before with the sunrise, and he kissed her with a small nod. He liked watching the sunset, anyways.

"I'll do that," he smiled. She kissed him with a gentleness that melted his insides, and he hugged her to him. "My Queen..."

"My dearest Robin..." she said and hugged him back. "I need to go."

"Is it always going to get harder for you to leave me?"

"Yes," she frowned. "It is something you must overcome."

"As your human?"

"Yes. Think of yourself as a child being left with...um...a nanny. The child does not want the parents to leave. It is much like that."

"Hmm. All right. I'll be an adult about this. Go back to Jericho. I'll see you soon."

"Of course, you will," she smiled, and he kissed her again. She teleported away, and he now realized that the water had gone cold. He scowled at himself and shut off the water to dry off and dress. When he walked out, Starfire was there to hug him, and he grinned when he hugged her back.

"We are going to a party!" she beamed.

"Yes. Oh, Star? Wanna watch the sunset with me?" he smiled. She gasped and now pulled him with her to the roof. When they got up there, Starfire saw Jericho watching it with Ambrosia.

"Oh!" Ambrosia blinked and looked over. "Sorry. I haven't seen the sunset in so long..."

"No! It is good!" Starfire nodded, as she remembered everything. "Robin and I are here to watch it, too! We will all watch together!"

"I would like that," Ambrosia smiled. She was wearing a silvery white cloak over her body, and Jericho was holding her securely in his lap. The colors of the sunset played over her skin to give a fiery touch of color to her. Robin was watching her from the corner of his eye with his arm around Starfire.

_:I love you, my Queen.:_  Robin thought to her.

_:I love you, too, Robin. Remember, this can drain us if we aren't careful.:_  she warned. Then she gave him a mental kiss. The sensation he got was intense, caring, and full of love. His face went blank, as he struggled to remain calm. It was something he would definitely want to feel again when they were alone. He managed to smile softly, and Ambrosia pressed herself into Jericho's chest.

"Are you all right, love?" Jericho asked gently.

"Yes. It's been so long since I saw a sunset. I had truly forgotten how beautiful they were. I was hardly able to leave the castle in the past month, and it's just...a relief to see it, really," she said.

"Are you looking forward to the night party?" Starfire beamed.

"Oh, yes! I am greatly looking forward to it," she smiled. She blinked when Beast Boy settled on her shoulder in the form of a small bird, and he chirped at her. He got a fond scratch under his beak, and he warbled. Robin chuckled, and they finished watching the sunset. As the stars came out, Ambrosia sighed. _How long has it been since I simply gazed up at them?_

"Darling," Jericho sighed and Robin gave a small wince. Beast Boy snuggled against her cheek.

"I have missed so much time. Afraid for so long," she muttered.

"I found the perfect spot, guys! Ah...guys...?" Cyborg asked, as he came out with Raven.

"What's wrong?" Raven asked.

"Ambrosia watched the sunset. Now she is upset with stars?" Starfire frowned.

"No. She was trapped for so long that many of the constellations she knew of have changed over time. You forget that time was always frozen on her. She was always living in constant fear. She didn't think about gazing at the stars or wanting to watch sunrises. She was praying that Sinlus wouldn't come for her on that third night. That someone would find her," Jericho said.

"I'm going to confess something," Ambrosia sighed. Beast Boy shifted human and made her look at him quickly.

"Don't say it!" Beast Boy said. "Don't!"

"I..." she grimaced and shivered. Robin focused inwards to remain in control of his facial expressions. _If Sinlus approached her this last time, she was going to give in to his demands?!_

"Darling!" Jericho grimaced and hugged her. "Beast Boy is right! Say nothing!"

"You're free! That's all that matters, right?!" Beast Boy said carefully.

"Yes. I am free," she nodded.

"Huh?" Cyborg frowned. Jericho had Beast Boy support Ambrosia, as he turned and signed out with his hands what was on her mind. Cyborg translated the hand gestures mentally and gaped. Raven looked clearly distressed now, but she kept quiet. Starfire had no idea how sign language was seen. Jericho smiled and took out a pen and paper that he always carried on him to write it out. He gestured for Starfire to see it, and she gasped. He tore up the paper, and Beast Boy became his dragon form to char it to ashes before shifting back to human. They wanted no one to find out this piece of information.

"Quiet, Star," Robin said carefully. "We can't say anything. It can be used against us."

"Okay, Robin," Starfire nodded. "But...Ambrosia...why?"

"One gets tired of living in darkness and unable to move. Especially after a thousand years. Right?" she responded grimly. "With no hope of escape..."

"Ambrosia," Beast Boy said again. "Shush!"

"He's right, darling," Jericho smiled and kissed her gently. "We have a night club to go to. Right? Cyborg? You said you found a good one?"

"Oh, yeah! I can drive us!" he grinned. Ambrosia smiled and now she stood up.

"I don't know if my outfit will work," she frowned and removed the white cloak. Everyone dropped their jaws, and this included Jericho. It was a two-piece, skin-tight, dark red velvet top and mini-skirt. The top looked like it just barely covered what was needed, and the skirt was the same way. Lace-up, deep red heels were on her feet, and the laces went over her ankles. Her pregnancy was there, but she was still slender enough that it didn't quite show at night. Her long hair was braided and coiffed up in loose strands to keep off the floor. Her crown was actually hidden from human sight. Only Fae would be able to see it. Her mother taught her how to cast the illusion, but she still wore her wedding ring. She never removed that. Basic diamond, ruby, and gold jewelry decorated her ears, her throat, and her wrists.

"Wow..." Beast Boy blinked.

"And you didn't tell me about this?!" Jericho growled, as he pulled her to his chest possessively.

"I wanted it to be a surprise?" she giggled.

"Robin!" Starfire fumed, and he found himself shaking his head and looking away with a massive blush. That made everyone laugh and giggle.

"I think she's ready," Cyborg grinned.

"You lack makeup," Raven chuckled, and Starfire beamed.

"You mean face paints?! I have some!" Starfire grinned and flew to her room swiftly.

"What happened to your crown?" Cyborg asked.

"It is invisible. Mother taught me how to only let true Fae see my crown. It will help us see exactly who recognizes me," Ambrosia giggled. "Actually, you have a strand of my hair, right? Focus on using it and tell me if you see it."

"Hmm. Oh! There it is! I'll have to get used to using it," he nodded.

"Yeah. We all need to practice using the hairs," Robin nodded.

"And that reminds me. Robin? Tell us about your training!" Cyborg grinned.

"In the car, I'll tell you all," he nodded. Starfire came out with her massive cosmetic display, and Raven shielded her with Ambrosia to keep everything a surprise. Jericho groaned, and Robin moved to put a hand on his shoulder with a grin.

"We can use white face paint with red lip paint!" Starfire grinned.

"No. Ambrosia is a Queen. Not a clown. Let me do this," Raven muttered and selected the proper makeup colors. When she was revealed, Jericho found himself holding his breath. Robin had to look away quickly and ran a hand over his face as an excuse. Beast Boy and Cyborg were simply in shock. She was stunning, and Jericho was going to be shielding her from every man and teenage boy they encountered. Raven was grinning softly at a job well done, and Starfire was beaming.

"Glued. To. My. Hip," Jericho muttered. "No exceptions."

"Of course, dear," Ambrosia smiled softly.

"Raven? Can you do my face paint?" Starfire begged. Raven sighed and helped her.

_"Raven knows how to do makeup?!"_  Beast Boy gaped. She looked at him with a glare and zapped him with a shadow-bolt. He groaned and fell over twitching. That got Jericho laughing, and Ambrosia was in a bit of shock. Robin sighed and helped Beast Boy to his feet.

"You deserved that, BB," Cyborg grinned.

"Ugh..." Beast Boy grimaced and shook himself free of the clingy shadows. He moved to Ambrosia to get comforted like a dog that got kicked, and she ran a loving hand through his hair. He made a face at Raven now, and she fumed, since she couldn't do anything.

"Beast Boy, apologize to her, please," Ambrosia muttered. "That was uncalled for."

"Kay," he pouted. "Sorry, Raven."

"Fine," Raven nodded. "Anyways...are we going now?"

"Sure. Why not?" Jericho smirked and laughed at the poke in the side he got from his wife. He hugged her to him and led her to the car with the others. When they got in and started to drive off, Cyborg looked at Robin in his rear view mirror.

"Talk!" Cyborg demanded.

"All right!" Robin sighed. Ambrosia giggled and Jericho kept her firmly against his side. Beast Boy was a small lap dog and quite content in her lap. Robin got into detail about his training, and Jericho filled in here and there, when needed. Ambrosia listened silently and smiled softly to herself. When he finished, everyone was awed about it.

"So, Elvey trained you to handle a night club! Sweet!" Beast Boy said, as he became a parrot to talk to them. "Every time you dream, you'll train?"

"Yeah. That's what's gonna happen," Robin nodded.

"That and Elvey and Tintagel both plan to train us together to coordinate better. Esmiralda will work with Ambrosia nearby. It's for the best this way," Jericho said.

"Considering what Ambrosia had to go through to help you two. Yeah. That would be best," Raven nodded. "We'll keep you away from dark corners in the club."

"Thank you," Ambrosia smiled. They came to a stop, and they got out of the car. Cyborg alarmed it. and they moved into the night club. Robin paid the entrance fee for them, and Ambrosia was already becoming the focus of the room. There were no other Titans yet. They weren't contacted, and Robin decided to wait to see how everything went. He didn't want the place flooded. _It was pretty compacted, as it was._  She looked around at the place with a small frown, and Jericho held her close. Beast Boy became a fly and hid himself on her shoulder.

"Good," Jericho nodded to him. An affirmative buzz was given back. They found a booth under a neon light and sat down. Many girls were already swarming over to see the famous Titans, and Robin was casually ignoring them all. Jericho was very much the same, and he placed his hand next Ambrosia's to reveal their wedding rings.

"So, what do you think?" Robin chuckled.

"It's...interesting..." Ambrosia frowned. The music was good, but she felt incredibly out of place with her mental state of mind.  _I am too much of the old ways._ She had no time to properly adapt to the new world around her, and she shivered. Then she looked over as a small group of teens moved their way. She recognized them as new age Fae, and she cringed at how weak they were.

"Easy, love," Jericho smirked. "Hello. Nice to see you."

"Nice crown. You a Queen?" one of the guys asked.

"She is. And I'm a High Warlock," Raven growled. That made the guy gape in shock.

"She is Queen Ambrosia, daughter of Queen Esmiralda and King Tintagel. She is also the daughter of King Elvey," Jericho growled out. "She is also my wife, and I'm King Jericho. Her husband. King Tintagel lives again in my mind."

"She's the one that disappeared!" a girl whispered.

"Yes. She was," Robin nodded. He smirked at a girl that tried to charm him and sighed. "Idiot. I'm immune to your charming effect. Go play with someone else."

"Immune?!" she gaped.

"You are all...so much like humans. I see how weak the Fae blood has become over the past thousand years," Ambrosia sighed. "Husband, I think I'm done here. I would like to go home."

"Of course, darling," he nodded. As they got up, they were surrounded by other Fae.

"Just give us your crown and you can leave," the first guy said.

"Our crowns are soul-mated, you ingrate!" Jericho hissed. "Rip it off her head, she dies. Then I'll berserk and force you down into a puddle of steaming ooze with your friends!"

"Soul-mated?!" one of them whispered.

"Zax, let's leave them be," the girl whispered.

"I don't believe them!" he growled. Then Robin danced behind him and slammed him into the floor with crushing brute force.

" _Guess what? I'm King Elvey. Nice to meet you! Can we play, little Fae? I'll teach you how to dance!_ " Robin hissed with a savage grin. " _There is_ no one _here that can out-fight me! You want proof?_ "

"I was just kidding, man!" Zax winced.

" _Weak. All of you are so weak!_ " Robin scowled. " _Ambrosia is right. Let's beat it._ "

"We just got here," Cyborg frowned.

" _Trust me, Cyborg._  Star?" Robin asked. He found her gone. She was lured away by one of the guys, and now he let his training move into effect. The noise around him dimmed to nothing. He moved past the various breaths and heartbeats until he found hers. He moved swiftly and silently in her direction. When he got to her, he was furious.

"Please unhand me!" Starfire grimaced. "I do not want to hurt you!"

"But you can, cutie! It's okay," the Fae man grinned.

"She said no!" Robin snarled and punched him dead in the face with startling accuracy. "Star? Let's go. Now."

"Robin!" she said and hugged him. The Fae man was groaning on the floor and had no clue how Robin found where he was hiding with her. He led her back to the others and was clearly not happy. When he saw Ambrosia's warm, approving smile, he felt elated and much better.

"Everyone all accounted for?" Jericho asked.

"Star? Who was the one that lured you off?!" Cyborg growled.

"I punched him in the face," Robin said. "Don't worry about it."

"Oh. Cool! Let's get some pizza!" he said. Beast Boy made an approving buzz, and they started to walk out. More Fae blocked them and Ambrosia sighed.

"Let us through," Jericho said.

"Why? What're ya gonna do?" one of the girls said with a grin. Now Ambrosia winced, and Beast Boy landed on the floor to become a dragon. He reacted to her fear, and Robin grimaced. Raven was smirking at the gaping jaws.

"Let us through before you all get burned to pieces," Jericho said calmly.

"Sure! Yeah! Whatever you say, man!" one of the guys said and moved aside. When one still showed stubbornness, Beast Boy opened his mouth to let the air start heating up. When he moved, Ambrosia calmly ran her hand over his muzzle to soothe him. He snorted and reverted to human form. People were already pushing them out in a panic from Beast Boy's dragon form, so they got outside and went straight to the car.

"Nice wheels!" a guy grinned.

"Not yours!" Cyborg growled. That made the guy back away. "Ain't nobody gonna touch my baby! Come on, guys. Let's get outta here."

"Word," Raven grinned.

"To ya mother!" Beast Boy snickered and grinned at Cyborg's glare. Jericho looked over as even more Fae started to appear. Many of them remembered now that Ambrosia was in her second month of pregnancy.  _She was out in the open._ Robin and Jericho ushered her into the car for Beast Boy to help keep her calm. Raven watched Cyborg and Starfire get into the car, and she called forth one of her most powerful spells in the High Warlock range. The earth shifted underneath the small crowd and rose up with them. They had never seen such strong magic at work. She could have used her own powers for this, but they had to know that she was a very powerful wielder of Fae energy.

"I am a High Warlock!" Raven shouted. "I dare any of you right now to call me out on it!"

Silence was all she got. Her robe turned black and gave off an aura that it was alive and not happy with the new age Fae generation. Jericho glared into the eyes of each Fae there.

"I am King Jericho! I hold a soul-mated crown to Queen Ambrosia! I also hold the memories of King Tintagel, the Silent Death and Mage Bane!"

"And I am Robin, leader of the Titans! I hold the memories of King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage! If any of you follow us, I will not hesitate to crush your puny little minds while I laugh my head off!" Robin grinned maniacally. Then Elvey took over mildly. " _Not a single one of you, even combined, has the power to stop us!_ "

"Do not follow us. This is your only warning," Raven growled, as the land lowered again as though it never shifted. The Fae were stunned. They never will have access to this type of magic from the heavy human strain they carried. Almost all of them resembled humans now. The only difference was the body build being a bit slender in places, and their ears being slightly pointed in various ways. The small crowd knew that, if they tried to follow, they would not live.

" _I am disgusted,_ " Robin growled when Elvey came out in full to talk. " _Brother, are we really the last true Fae left? Other than the Elders? Other than King Ealdun?_ "

" _I'm afraid so,_ " Jericho sighed, as Tintagel came out. " _None of those...things...out there are worth our time. The last thousand years...they have been a waste. Ever since our deaths, things have gone up in smoke. They demanded us to take off our crowns! They didn't see the life in them! I know they saw that we wore crowns, but that was just to prove that they are Fae. Yet, I think they are blinded to true magic, and that's from the heavy pollution of human blood in their veins._ "

"So, human blood destroys magic?" Cyborg frowned.

" _Humans were used to be bred into the Fae race to keep them alive. With each generation of human blood, there was no fresh Fae blood to assist them,_ " Ambrosia said with a frown, as Esmiralda came out. " _Either the ones needing fresh Fae blood deemed the weaker bloodlines unworthy, or they never asked for help. Over three thousand Fae died on my daughter's wedding day! That was a heavy blow to our race! So, they did the only thing they could do to keep from faulty strains of family breeding. They got humans to continue the lines. There was hardly a trickle of Fae blood left in those youths! None of them knew how to treat true royalty. It saddens me so!_ "

" _I'm not sure who our grandchildren can be with when they grow older,_ " Jericho grimaced. " _I would prefer a pure Fae bloodline. But, that resorts to looking to the Elders. I don't trust any of them other than King Ealdun. We'll have to see who shows up._ "

"Alston is pure, but he is untrustworthy," Starfire frowned. "Is this right?"

" _It's true. He is pure. But he's stupid,_ " Robin smirked. " _There has to be an area of pure Fae blood out there somewhere. We just need to look closer at the past._ "

" _If they have moon crystals, and they're charged, we'll know if they show up,_ " Jericho nodded.

"Jericho, you're not true Fae, though," Raven frowned.

"I actually am now. My crown made it so," Jericho grinned. That made everyone gape at him, but Ambrosia was snuggling into his chest. "True, I didn't change on the outside. But, it's always what's on the inside that counts, right?"

" _Very true,_ " Robin chuckled. " _Oh. Robe? What did you think of them? The ingrates?_ "

"It wants to kill them all off," Raven glowered.

" _Nice,_ " Robin grinned. "How far off is the pizza place?"

"We're here!" Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy resumed human form from the bird form he took on Ambrosia's shoulder for the car ride. They took one step out of the car, and Robin twitched.  _The place was crawling with new generation Fae._ He never noticed it before. Ambrosia's blood let him see people as they were.  _The Fae always came out at night._

"Never mind. Let's head to the Tower," Robin muttered.

"No kidding," Cyborg growled. Ambrosia's hairs that they possessed let them all see the Fae. They got in the car quickly and sped off.

"Maybe we can order something," Robin sighed. "Delivery okay?"

"I won't be eating anything," Ambrosia smiled.

"That's right. It's fine, though," Jericho chuckled. "I'll eat for her."

Starfire laughed at that, and Raven kept a close eye out around the car's surroundings. Robin thought and started to contact other Titans through his communicator to tell them what was going on and what happened at the night club.

"You should have told us when you were going!" Hot Spot scowled.

"Sorry," Robin grinned. "If you want to check it out, you can. Oh. You don't have one of Ambrosia's hairs, so you can't tell the difference. That's right."

"I need a hair?" Hot Spot frowned.

"Everyone does. I can't just pluck them, either. They have to come off naturally. Come to the Tower, and I'll see what can be done. We need to count out how many Titans will need them," Robin said. "It's important or no one will be able to tell the difference."

"Gotcha! On my way!" Hot Spot nodded and disconnected.

"It would be important, right?" Ambrosia frowned.

"I couldn't tell the difference without your hair," Cyborg admitted.

"Robin? Do you not have a hair?" Starfire asked.

"Elvey's pendant helps me," he chuckled. "I do keep a hair in my room for emergencies."

"That's right. My robe can help me, but her hair gave me a boost in power," Raven nodded. Beast Boy suddenly looked up in his lap dog form and snarled. Cyborg now ran the scanners and frowned.  _We were being followed by several vehicles._

"We've got company!" Cyborg scowled.

"Maybe a Treant or two will help," Ambrosia muttered, and Jericho hugged her.

"Let us handle them," he said. "Elvey? If you would?"

" _Smokescreen would be easiest. Cyborg! Just keep driving. I'm setting up a strong illusion of fog. Don't look in your rear view!_ " Robin warned, as Elvey emerged. Cyborg nodded and focused on driving straight on the road. Robin chanted now, and Raven was gaping at the strong spell. A wall of solid fog seemed to pour up from the road to stop at ten feet high. It blocked all visible sight to the other side. Now Robin grinned and said, " _Raven? Have Robe show you how to set up illusions of nightmares in the fog I just created, will you?_ "

"Gladly!" Raven smirked and focused, as she chanted the powerful spell. Now, any that got into the fog would see visions of horror and be forced to stop in their tracks. Whoever was tracking them down was lost. The moment they all gave up, the spell diminished entirely. When they got to the Tower, Jericho carried Ambrosia out of the car and set her on her feet. Beast Boy snuggled into her side after reverting to human, and she ran her hand through his hair with a smile. Jericho focused, and the moon crystal defenses were fully alive and waiting to turn away any that dared to get too close uninvited.

"Good," Robin nodded. "Let's see if I can order a pizza or two."

"I don't know. Even Fae need jobs," Jericho sighed. "They could ambush us that way."

"What do you all wish to eat?" Ambrosia beamed.

"That's right! You can simply make us food!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Awesome!" Cyborg grinned. "A huge platter of steaks!"

"DUDE?!" Beast Boy cringed, and everyone groaned. Silkie crawled up to them, and Cyborg scowled. Starfire picked up the yellow caterpillar and hugged him.

"He is not eating my dinner!" Cyborg pouted. "He already ate one of my lunches!"

"Hey! Ambrosia!" Beast Boy whispered to her.

"Yes, Beast Boy?" she smiled.

"I wanna play a trick on Cyborg for the meat thing! Can you make one of his steaks tofu?" he grinned. Robin sputtered laughter, and Jericho was sniggering. Raven looked over with a wide grin, and Starfire blinked with surprise.

"Which one?" Ambrosia asked softly.

"One near the middle. I wanna see if he notices," Beast Boy grinned wider. Ambrosia looked at Cyborg and gestured for him to hold out his hands. A massive platter of beef steaks appeared in them with one tofu steak in the very center. He started to wolf them down happily. He took a short break to catch his breath and started on the tofu steak.

"So, it's good?" Robin grinned.

"Oh, yeah! Booyah! I'm in heaven!" Cyborg grinned.

"I told you that tofu can taste like anything!" Beast Boy snickered.

"What?" Cyborg blinked.

"The steak you're eating right now is made of tofu!" he squealed with delight.

"WHAT?! Oh, man! NO!" Cyborg gaped. "You made me eat this?!"

They all died laughing. He gave a look of complete shock to Ambrosia, and she sighed.

"You did scare him pretty badly with your last joke, Cyborg," she smiled.

"Aw, man!" he pouted. She focused, and the tofu steak became twice as large as a real steak. He gasped with joy and started to chow down. "I'm still...gonna...get even...BB!"

"If you can top that!" Beast Boy managed to say, as he sat up from laughing on the floor. The laughing quickly stopped when the defense system flared out on the main screen. Robin was now quickly in the commanding chair and pressing buttons on the control panel.

"Who's knocking on our door?" he muttered, as he worked furiously to pin point who it was.

"There. Northern side of the Tower. What is that?!" Cyborg frowned.

"Titans! Go! The roof!" Robin said.

"Stay with me, dearest," Jericho said. She nodded, and he touched his crown to hers to let them shimmer. On the roof, Robin saw a Fae woman hovering over the Tower. Her blood was a bit more pure, but was still holding a lot of human blood.

"And who are you?" Robin asked and crossed his arms over his chest. She was definitely a new age Fae from the jeans and t-shirt she wore. Her hair was lightly tinged with streaks of red, but it looked dyed in. Otherwise, it was a blondish-brown color.

"I'm Roxa! I'm the most powerful Fae here! I challenge you!" she said haughtily.

" _And how old are you?_ " Robin drawled out, as Elvey emerged.

"I am three hundred years old!" she said.

" _And I'm over a thousand. Do you really want to do this? I am King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage, and I am partnered up with, as well as residing in, Robin, the leader of the Titans. Are you sure you want to die? I'll gladly help you out,_ " he smirked.

"The Laughing Battle Mage is a myth!" she hollered.

" _As is a decent new age Fae, apparently,_ " he grinned. That got snickers from the others. She colored up, and the defenses let her in to land on the roof. " _Okay. Take the first shot. I insist._ "

"Here we go!" she said and let loose a powerful wind blast. He didn't even budge, as the others ducked for cover. He grinned wickedly and gave out a cold, cruel chuckle. Now she paled.

" _That was the best you got? Pathetic! You're not even a Mage, are you?_ " he asked, as he raised a brow. He calmly moved, and she gaped that he made no sound in his steps. " _Did you know that my brother-in-arms, King Tintagel, also lives? The Silent Death and Mage Bane? He's busy comforting his wife right now. If she was here, I wouldn't even be talking to you. She needs to feed her Treant, you see...oh? I see you don't know what a Treant is? A shame. Or do you?_ "

Now he demonstrated his power by focusing on his pendant to let the very air around him charge up with electrical waves of power unlike anything she ever felt before. He focused it all into a tight sphere and flung it at her. It smacked into her, lifted her off her feet, and she crashed into one of the banisters. She tried to crawl back over to him, but she gaped at him in shock. He had another ready to launch, as he glared at her with a savage grin. Elvey wouldn't let Robin simply use his techniques on her. This was a Fae, and only a Fae could properly put another Fae in their place. He was actually using a very basic thunder sphere spell, and it cost him nothing.  _Even the most basic of spells were lost to the Fae!_  She was grimacing with pain, as she whimpered, "I...made a mistake...a big mistake..."

" _Yes. You did. You came here like a haughty cow, claimed you were the most powerful one, and your bloodline is completely polluted with human blood. Stronger than the others, but still polluted. And who are your parents, little Fae? Do they still live? Tell me and maybe I'll spare you,_ " he said with another cold chuckle, and he let the sphere vanish. He stepped over to her now as noiselessly as he did when he first walked up to her. His words were ice cold and held none of the warmth they normally held when talking to his friends. He continued to circle her as though studying her very form.

"My parents..." she grimaced and muttered out their names.

" _Good. They still live. They'll appreciate this, I bet,_ " he said abruptly and now he searched for them with a ball of energy to scry with. He was able to manipulate it into a phone call, and that shocked Raven. " _Yes. Hello. Your daughter is bothering us, the Titans. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Good-bye. Well, Roxa, they want you home right now. If you come here again, they will be sent pieces of your body in small packages. Do you understand?_ "

"Yes!" she nodded. He gestured for her to leave, and she left. He clucked his tongue and took her residual energy to have the Tower defenses block her off. He sighed and shook his head.

"That was just funny," Cyborg smirked.

" _I know. But, she was able to follow us. Hmm. I need to talk to Tintagel,_ " Robin grimaced and moved back into the Tower. He gave Starfire's arm a squeeze, as he moved past her, and she blushed.

"Robin?" Ambrosia frowned, as he walked over to them to sit on the couch. She was in her husband's lap and getting cradled. He told them what happened, and Jericho was amused. Then he was disgusted at the fact that Fae magic was so weak now. _Not to mention lost._

" _She followed us. Elvey, follow her,_ " he grinned. Now Robin grinned and focused to trace back her energy. " _When you get a lock, tell me._ "

" _Already done,_ " Robin said. " _She lives in one of the nicer sections of town._ "

"So, she's a snob?" Beast Boy smirked.

" _Very,_ " Robin agreed. " _But, this is interesting. She got berated for bothering us, and now she's at her computer. She's...researching us. Apparently, the Fae have a network interface!_ "

"Really? Can I get in it?" Cyborg grinned.

" _Let's try,_ " Robin nodded. Jericho looked at Ambrosia with a shrug, and he lifted her in his arms to carry her. Cyborg led them all into his room and he glared at Beast Boy.

"Don't touch anything!" he warned.

"Oh, come on!" Beast Boy pouted and small snickers were heard.

"Beast Boy?" Ambrosia smiled, and he moved to snuggle into her side when Jericho set her down in a chair. She would keep him preoccupied. She whispered softly to him, and he purred with a grin.

"Okay, I honestly have no clue as to what I'm looking for," Cyborg admitted.

"I do," Jericho nodded and moved to the computer. The few new age Fae he possessed gave him the memories he needed to bring up the proper site. He didn't want to log in as one of them for safety reasons, and he managed a temporary guest position to see if he liked what he saw. When the time came to make an account, they selected the royalty status. Apparently, it was something that needed to be done through more advanced means, and a screen came up with a Fae representative looking at them through a web camera. There were many that stated they were royalty, and this was an extra measure to ensure that the one applying was truthful. Cyborg activated his camera and pulled up the microphone to speak back.

"Fae name?" the representative asked with boredom. He was wearing a bright blue shirt with pants just as bright, and his hair was a natural shade of dark brown. Apparently this happened a lot, and he never got the real proof that he was speaking with royalty. He thought it was just another hoax.

"King Jericho," he said. Then the representative saw the crown, and Jericho grinned.

"A true crown?! But...no! It could be fake," he muttered.

"All right. How about King Tintagel?" Jericho asked.

"He's a Fae King from the past! A myth! Please, I'll just disconnect you if you don't tell me your real name!" the representative sighed.

"My name is King Jericho, I was crowned King just a month ago. My wife is Queen Ambrosia, and her crown is soul-mated to mine," he said sternly. His voice had a distinct noble ring to that demanded authority. The representative looked pensive.

"Um...I still need more proof..." he said.

"Look. I'm Robin, the leader of the Titans. I also have King Elvey in my head. If you don't make us an account right now, I know that King Elvey is going to find out where you live and gut you open as he laughs his head off! Do you really want to risk that?" Robin frowned. Then he took out Elvey's pendant. The representative stammered. Now Ambrosia walked over to reveal her legendary beauty and her mother's fabled crown. The Fae man looked ready to faint from the shock. Then she moved to touch her crown to her husband's crown to let them shimmer. No more proof was needed to be given.

"Account. Now!" Jericho growled, as his gaze focused back on the Fae man.

"Yes, Your Majesty! Um...ah...just one question..." he said.

"Go on," Jericho said. "And, if it's about comforting my wife, I'll kill you in your sleep."

"No! Not that! Can't do that with clientele, anyways, but, I would like the creator of this site to speak with you! Is it possible?" he asked.

"Over this? Or in person?" Jericho asked.

"I think it would be up to him, Your Majesty," he said.

"Then patch me through," Jericho nodded. The screen went blank for a bit, and it reformed with the image of a wealthy Fae of weak bloodline staring back at him. Robin wasn't impressed.

"A true King?" the Fae man blinked. "And a true Queen! Amazing! I'll have to promote him for sending you to me! I am Aelfdane Crumbles. A pleasure to meet you! Ah, wow..."

"Right. Mutual, I'm sure," Jericho said. "I was curious in getting an account on this interface, but if you're the one who created it..."

"Yes! I am! I started it up as a small group of Fae that were looking for the truth of things. Why our bloodline thinned out. How real are myths and such. With the knowledge that you have, I'm sure the site can flourish and the truth can finally be told! I'll grant you a complete account with full site access, and I would appreciate it if you could give us everything you know! Can you? If it's possible, Your Majesty?" Aelfdane asked. "We need to sort the facts from the lies."

"That is something I will definitely do," Jericho nodded. "I will speak with you at length. Cyborg, I'm going to be using this computer. Beast Boy, take my wife to the safe room. Robin, if you want to stay and have Elvey assist, that's fine."

"Good," Robin nodded. Beast Boy looked at Ambrosia to grin, and he led her quickly through the hidden wall exit. When he got her into the safe room, he hugged her.

"Maybe now the truth can be told. I just hope my husband doesn't reveal too much," she sighed.

"He won't. He just wants the Fae to know what happened. We'll be ready for any of them that come here to doubt you. Don't worry!" he smiled. Then he gaped, as her hand touched his cheek, and he kissed her. Only after he comforted her was he able to dress with her and hold her in the bed. He sighed, as he let her snuggle into him, and he frowned.

"Beast Boy? What's wrong?" she asked.

"I dunno," he said. She sat up now, and he looked at her.

"You can tell me anything, you know," she smiled.

"Can I? I can tell you things, and you won't think I'm crazy or anything?"

"I would never do such a thing."

"Well..." he said, as he sat up. "I miss my parents."

"Oh?" she frowned and ran a hand up his back. He leaned into her and sighed.

"Mom and Dad were explorers. I was with them all the time. We traveled all over the world. They liked to find new and exotic wildlife species. I liked it. It was always a new adventure with them! But...they heard about a new breed of green monkey. Something like that. When we found it, it bit me. Made me sick with a rare disease. They had to alter my genetic make-up to fix me. To do that, they had to use various animal genes. A serum of some kind. The result was me. Green skin, hair, and the ability to morph into other animals.

"It was fun at first. Made traveling a bit easier for my parents. Then they went on a boating trip without me. They left me with some natives that we knew well, and they took care of me. Mom and Dad were going to a dangerous place, and they didn't want me hurt. So...I waited for them with the natives. And I waited. After two weeks, they sent out a scout. He came back...with really bad news. They were gone. The boat sank..."

"Oh, Beast Boy," she winced and hugged him.

"Even now, I know that I should have gone with them! I could have saved them! I..." he trembled and clung to her, as he started to cry. She rocked him now, and he sobbed out his grief. Esmiralda came out to give more of a motherly feel for him, and she started to hum softly.

" _Hush, loyal Beast Boy. Your parents live through you. In your memories. They are not gone, because they are not forgotten. Your heart is as pure as your soul. There is great aspiration in you. There is a quality in you that is unmatched by many. You are fun, loving, caring, and protective. All the best there is for someone like you! Your parents wanted to keep you safe, because they loved you, Beast Boy. Don't worry. I am sure they are very proud of what you have become. You are a Titan! A protector for all! Do not grieve over what is lost, for it never was,_ " she whispered soothingly. He just cried harder at her words, and she continued to rock him and comfort him. When he was finally calming down, she still rocked him to show that she cared about him.

"I love you," he whispered. "I do. You're the only one that...sees me as I am."

"That was Mother whispering to you," Ambrosia smiled softly. He managed a small smile.

"I love you both, then. I'll protect you with everything I have."

"I know you will."

"There was another that I loved, but...well..."

"I will listen, if you want to tell me about her," she smiled warmly. He nodded and pressed himself into her, as he told her about Terra. She listened to everything he said and hugged him when he faltered to give him the strength to continue. When he finished, he sighed.

"So...that was that. She came back somehow and lost her memory. I...let her go," he frowned.

"And that was very brave of you to do," she smiled. "I think I see why you were attracted to her. Animals are based off of the land, and she had power over the land. The two of you could have been very compatible. It is a shame that her heart was given over to darkness. But, you turned her to the light, too. You showed her an inner strength and focus that she thought she never had. I would not doubt for an instant that she traded her memories, and her powers, to live a normal life."

"Well, I'm anything but normal," he smiled.

"Nothing ever is, is it?" she giggled.

"Thank you. For listening," he said. "I feel a lot better."

"Good. I don't care how crazy you may sound to others or to yourself. If you need someone to listen to you, come to me. You freed me, Beast Boy. I have a large debt to repay to you."

"No. No debt. There will never be a debt between us."

"If you insist."

"I do," he nodded sternly. "I freed you. You healed me. There is no debt. There never was."

They hugged each other tightly, and he closed his eyes with a form of comfort that he hadn't felt in a long time.  _This was what I needed. Not any form of nectar. I don't need much of anything. All that I need is a friend that I can talk to and protect in full. Someone I can love._

"Just remember, Beast Boy," she whispered. "What is the one thing you always tell me when I become afraid of being trapped again? That no one would be there for me?"

"That you're not alone," he muttered.

"That's right. And neither are you," she smiled. He kissed her hard now, and she gave in to his desires. After several minutes went by, he lay back gasping on the bed with her. When he moved to reach for his clothing, she stopped him with a caress to his cheek. Now she brought him to a whole new world of pleasure. As she lay back on the bed, he was completely dazed out of his mind. She blushed a bit and managed to help dress his stunned body. When he came around, he blinked at how he was dressed, but he was smiling all the same.

"So...you're over a thousand years old, and I'm almost seventeen. I think they call this robbing the cradle," he grinned a fanged grin. She laughed at him with a blush, and he grinned even wider. "It's not that bad! In fact, you're still seventeen, technically. So, it's still okay!"

"I know," she nodded and sighed. He grinned again and snuggled into her. She lay back and rested a hand in his hair. He started to close his eyes, but then they popped open. He sat up with a growl, as he heard whispers behind the door. "Beast Boy? Do you recognize them?"

"I don't know who it is. It sounds familiar, but it's hard to tell," he frowned. She moved to slip into a robe before laying back in the bed, as a precaution. He moved to the door and waited in front of it.

"It's us, Beast Boy!" Raven said cautiously.

"Yes! We have come to see friend Ambrosia!" Starfire said. Beast Boy checked the scents in the air and nodded. He let the door open, and they came in.

"Greetings!" Ambrosia beamed and sat up. Beast Boy moved to sit on the bed after he closed the door. "How are you both?"

"Not bad," Raven chuckled. "Robin and Jericho are almost done. The Fae guy is really shocked at what he's hearing. Apparently, Sinlus told a bunch of lies."

"That is expected," Ambrosia frowned. "He was always known to lie."

"He said that everyone did not wish for the marriage to happen! That everyone killed each other! It was simply not right!" Starfire frowned. Ambrosia grimaced and shook her head.

"I'm just shocked that no one realized it was a lie. I'm sure they knew, but, well...if a whole kingdom dies overnight, it's considered taboo to send anyone in for investigation. Normally, it's either a plague, or the magic suddenly died. Not a mass murder," Raven sighed.

"It's a culture shock for me. More than anything," Ambrosia admitted. "I am more ingrained in the old ways. I feel that I will never adapt to the new. What more is there for me to try?"

"You know, sometimes the old stuff is always better than the new stuff. Kinda like vintage video games," Beast Boy shrugged. "You may have beaten a game before, like, lots of times, but it can still be your favorite. Yeah, new ones will come along, but it's the old ones that you know that will be worth more. Also, the old ones tend to be rarer, harder to find and just a lot more reliable than the new ones if they're treated with a lot of care!"

"Um..." Ambrosia blushed softly. Raven looked at him like he was crazy.

"My point is," Beast Boy smiled. "the old will  _always_  outlast the new."

She trembled and hugged him now. He blushed hard at first, but then he hugged her back. Starfire found herself giggling, and Raven just sighed.

"Thank you," Ambrosia smiled, and he chuckled as she moved to sit apart from him.

"Ooh! You know what game I haven't played in a while?!" he beamed.

"What?" she frowned.

"Stinkball!" he grinned.

"No," Raven said with a smoldering glare.

"But...why not?" he pouted.

"One. She's a Queen. Two. That ball is made up of your old, stinky underwear and socks. Three.  _No one_  will play referee for you!" she scowled. Ambrosia put her a hand to her mouth to giggle.

"Cyborg would play with me!" he mumbled.

"Um...I washed that ball, too," Starfire blinked. He gaped at her with disbelief.

"What?! Now I'll have to make a whole new ball, and that will take a good month!" he wailed.

"Beast Boy," Ambrosia smiled softly. "I am sure that your game would have been fun, but Raven is right. I am a Queen. Something like that is something I would not be able to play. Um...do you know how to play chess? Or, ah..."

"Chess?" Beast Boy blinked.

"Yeah. Chess. You move pieces over a checkerboard and use them to take out the other player's pieces," Raven said. "It requires patience, intelligence, and a lot of thought process. You don't have any of that, right? At least, not that I know of."

"Hey!" Beast Boy scowled, and Ambrosia sighed with a smile. "I can play chess!"

"Are you sure?" Raven grinned. He nodded, and Ambrosia focused to let an elaborate chess set appear on a small table. Four chairs were set up for them to sit at. Raven calmly explained the rules and what each piece represented. Beast Boy was confused.

"Watch me play with Raven," Ambrosia smiled. "We shall explain what we are doing."

"Okay," he said. Ambrosia was given the lighter side to play and moved a pawn. They both took turns explaining each move as they did it, and showed them other moves they could have done.

"This game is...intense!" Starfire frowned.

"Aw! Why can't Jericho just give me the memories on how to play?" Beast Boy sighed.

"Not only is that cheating, but won't your body hurt after it?" Raven frowned.

"It would not be safe, Beast Boy," Ambrosia frowned. He blinked at her and could only nod.

"Now, I'm going to move my knight here," Raven smiled.

"Um...Raven..." Ambrosia said with a touch of a wicked smile. She moved her queen three spaces over and whispered, "Check mate!"

"What?!" Raven gaped. She checked over the board and scowled. "Okay. You won! I can't move my king anywhere, see? If I do this, her bishop will get me. If I go here, her queen will get me. Even her rook is neatly in place. If the king gets in this spot, the game is over. Most of the time it can end in a draw or a stalemate. I can't believe that I didn't see that move!"

"Aelfric never wanted to play against me. Neither did King Elvey or Father. Mother did beat me, at first, but then I started to get the better of her. Now, I always win," she blushed. "I wonder how they would be now, if we played."

"Want to find out?" Jericho asked, as he walked in with a grin. Robin came in right after with his own grin. Raven and Starfire moved to let them sit down, and the board was reset.

"Now we'll see a good game," Raven grinned. Ambrosia moved first, and Jericho followed suit. Beast Boy actually found himself getting excited over watching it. Each move they did was carefully calculated, and they moved fast.

"Check, love," Ambrosia giggled.

"No way!" Jericho grimaced and moved his king.

"Now...um...check mate!" she blushed. His jaw dropped.  _Not even ten minutes went by!_  Robin was astonished at this, too. She pinned his king neatly in place.

" _My turn,_ " Robin said, as Elvey came out. The board was reset, and, just like Jericho, she got his king in a dead end. He found himself laughing and shaking his head.

"You are way too good!" Raven grinned.

"I know!" Ambrosia beamed.

"Hey, Robin. Can you imagine her playing a game against Brain? That leader of the Brotherhood of Evil?" Beast Boy snickered.

"He'd have no chance!" Robin grinned back.

"Oh. I have an idea," Ambrosia giggled. "If this Brain is someone that needs to be tested, why not a game of chess? That would be good, right?"

"True," Robin mused. "But, he's Beast Boy's enemy."

"Even better!" she grinned wickedly. "I can watch what he does and tell him what moves to do."

"Oh..." Jericho found himself dying with laughter.

"Okay! We have to try this! I wanna play this!" Beast Boy grinned.

"All right. Let's test this for ourselves," Jericho nodded. Robin had the board reset, and Ambrosia calmly told Beast Boy what to do with mental pictures. Within moments, he beat Robin, and everyone died with laughter.

"I should try this against Cyborg! We can't say anything!" Beast Boy hissed.

"Oh! You're right!" Robin laughed. "I'll get him!"

"Sweetness!" Beast Boy grinned. Jericho moved to let Ambrosia settle in his lap, and Raven was giggling with Starfire. Robin brought in Cyborg and gestured to the chess set.

"Chess? Are you for real?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah. We need to see if you know how to play," Robin nodded.

"Oh, I know how to play. Eh...who would I be playing?" he asked.

"Me!" Beast Boy grinned. Cyborg blinked and burst out laughing.

"We're serious," Jericho said with a small grin.

"Please! He can barely work the remote much less  _chess!_ " Cyborg said, as he laughed.

"Just humor us. Play him. Then we can move on with our lives," Raven sighed.

"Oh, fine. This will be interesting," Cyborg smirked and sat down across from Beast Boy. Ambrosia beamed at them both, and Robin sat down in the vacant chair left. The moment Cyborg moved, Beast Boy did. Cyborg blinked at the moves Beast Boy was doing, and his mind was calculating every move out. Ambrosia watched everything carefully, and mentally showed Beast Boy what move to do next. By the time an hour was almost up, Beast Boy was grinning.

"Check mate!" he said calmly with a fanged smile, as he set a rook down.

"WHAT?!" Cyborg gaped, and everyone died with laughter all over again.

"Awesome!" Robin said and wiped away tears.

"There's just...no way..." Cyborg was gaping still.

"Sorry, Cyborg. I am a master at chess, and, well, I told Beast Boy what to do with my empathy," Ambrosia said with a soft blush. "Um...it was in case he needed to fight the villain, Brain. We wanted to see if it would fully work on another. Like you."

"Oh, man!" Cyborg grimaced, as Beast Boy laughed.

"Play my wife, and she'll beat you," Jericho grinned. Ambrosia gave Beast Boy a pat on the head and took his seat. The board was reset, and she started to play against him. Another hour slipped by, and she blushed at Cyborg's frustration.

"Check mate," she beamed. Cyborg was floored.  _She was able to beat a computer!_

"That is just insane!" Cyborg sighed. "I knew there was no way that Beast Boy could play chess! But, I gotta admit, it would put Brain in his place if this was a test!"

"You were the only one that didn't know. And, being a partial computer, it was the best way to see if it really did work," Robin grinned. "Thanks for being a good sport!"

"I'm still gonna get even with that tofu steak!" Cyborg growled.

"We'll see," Beast Boy grinned.

"I just gotta ask, Ambrosia. How do you do it?" Cyborg asked. "How can you play like that?"

"I don't think about winning. I just think about playing," she smiled.

"Oh..." Jericho mused.

"That makes a lot of sense. Anyways, I know that Titans are going to be lining up for strands of your hair. I think there's quite a few of them looking for us now," Robin smiled.

"There was something else that we need to do after the gala," Ambrosia said, as she stood up and walked away with a sigh. "Well, maybe not tonight, but tomorrow night."

"What is that, love?" Jericho asked.

"Stonehenge," she whispered. "The moon will be at its peak tomorrow night."

"Why Stonehenge?" he asked.

"It is a crossing of powerful ley lines, dear. I want to see if I can bring out Mother, Father, and King Elvey for a bit. For the Titans to meet them. I know it will be in spiritual form, but...I think it's needed. It may be one of the only times to do it. Yes, I'll be exhausted when everything is over..."

"I understand," Jericho smiled and moved up behind her to caress her shoulders.

"Would this be safe?" Raven frowned.

"With three High Warlocks, it will be," Robin nodded.

"We will get to meet them?" Starfire gasped.

"Yes. Possibly, if it all goes well," Jericho nodded.

"They would be bound within the circle of stones, though. For as long as the moon shows. When the moon is gone with the rising sun, the enchantment will end. I will not physically pull them from Robin or the crowns. I will simply give them spiritual images and sound. Maybe enough to let them seem solid and move things. Like true ghosts...but...I may only be able to do this once in a great while," Ambrosia smiled. "I really want all of you to meet them."

"We'll definitely plan for that," Jericho nodded and kissed her temple. "Come, love. Let's see who's here, and we'll see about what we can do about your hair."

"Very well," she nodded. Raven and her robe were worried. She was making plans to talk to Herald and Jinx to ensure they understood the stress of the situation.

"So, the truth has been told?" Ambrosia asked.

"Oh, yes. In full detail and at length," Jericho nodded. "We gave him an invitation to attend the gala. He will be the only non-pureblood there, and he vowed he would sign our treaty and use any information he gets for good. We all were given accessible accounts in the Fae database to update and study at our leisure. All of the Titans will get this treatment if they access the site. I'll be telling them all after they get strands of hair."

"Good," she nodded. "Um...how do you plan to take my hair? I do not want it cut!"

"No," Robin said. "We won't cut your hair. We know it can cause you pain."

"It will?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Yes. It will feel like stabbing pain all through my head. It could also make me ill," she frowned. "It was done once so that I would know what it was like. It was one strand of hair. Less than a touch was sheared off. I was in agony for the rest of the day!"

"Oh!" Starfire blinked.

"But, if they come off you naturally, no pain, right?" Cyborg asked, as he opened a panel for them. "I just want to make sure."

"Yes. No pain at all," she nodded. She looked upset about something, and Robin couldn't simply ask her what was wrong with Starfire with them. He had to do the next thing he could think of.

_:Is something wrong, my Queen?:_  Robin asked mentally.

_:Robin, dear, you know this is for emergencies!:_  Ambrosia thought back.

_:I know, but something is wrong. Please, my Queen. Tell me?:_  he pleaded.

_:Well...how many Titans are there that you know of?:_  she asked.

_: Hmm. Almost fifty in all, so far. We find new Titans every now and then. Why, my Queen?:_

_:How do you plan to extract fifty of my hairs?! The only other thing that I can think of is for you to brush them free, but it could take a while. Or, you could cut the strands that I already gave you, but, the more you cut them, the less power each strand would hold.:_

_:I know, my Queen. Don't worry. I like brushing your hair!:_

_:In a bath? Or out of it?:_  she gave a mental giggle.

_:Well, I haven't tried brushing your hair outside of a bath. Right?:_  he smirked mentally. She kissed him mentally, and he was mildly stunned by the sensation. He shook it off quickly, as he walked. He refocused his thoughts back on her.  _:You are going to make me slip one day!:_

_:And you're the one who started this by wanting to become my human!:_  she thought back, as she reached the main room. Jericho glanced at her and squeezed her to comfort her.

_:I don't recall you complaining...:_  he growled mentally and managed to give her a mental nibble.

_:Robin!:_  she blinked and swallowed.  _:We need to stop this! Others are present!:_

_:Yes, my Queen.:_  he sighed softly and shivered at the caress she sent him.  _:You aren't helping!:_

_:How long has it been since we were last together?:_  she whispered, and he took a deep breath.

_:Too long, my Queen. Far too long!:_  he muttered with a light frown.

"Robin, we have guests," Jericho said with a touch of amusement. He was able to pick up everything that was going on. "Control the craving for my wife's nectar a bit longer. You can do this."

"I know," Robin said and cleared his throat.

"Robin? Are you in pain?" Starfire frowned.

"I'm okay," he grinned back at her. "I can survive for a bit longer."

"Dude," Beast Boy frowned. "We don't want you going all loopy and stupid!"

"I won't do that!" Robin flustered, and Cyborg cracked a grin.

"Are you sure?" Raven smirked. At Robin's masked glare, she grinned at him.

"There you all are!" Hot Spot said, as he got up from the couch with Bushido and Aqualad.

"Sorry. We found out the Fae had an internet social network, and we were giving them the truth on what happened long ago," Jericho sighed. This had the other Titans surprised.

"We can give you the site, and all of you will be able to register to it. You'll be able to study up on various things, too," Robin said. "Whatever you find out that you know will benefit us, definitely write down. The more we know, the better prepared we will be."

"True," Hot Spot nodded. "So, what are we going to do about the hairs?"

"We need a soft brush," Jericho said. "A very soft brush."

"I might have one!" Jinx beamed. "Let me check!"

"I'll check for you," Kid Flash grinned. As he left, Jericho had a stool brought over for Ambrosia to sit on. He undid her hair so that it all fell to the ground in full.

"Robin, help me untangle her hair a bit," Jericho muttered.

"Don't hurt me!" she winced.

"Sorry, love. You have over six feet of hair! We'll be careful," he promised. Robin walked over and carefully ran his fingers through several long locks. The scent of honey was rich and potent. He had to focus to keep from losing his senses.

"Ah!" Robin blinked and unraveled a strand of hair. "Okay, that's one."

"Set them in these," Cyborg said and produced various plastic bags. "One strand for one bag."

"Okay," Robin nodded. "Beast Boy, do you think you have a form that can help?"

"I could try the octopus, but it's slimy," he frowned.

"No slime, please!" Ambrosia grimaced.

"May I assist?" Starfire beamed. Robin smiled at her and gestured for her to help. As each long lock of hair was carefully straightened and softened, Kid Flash came back with Jinx's brush.

"Here you go!" he said. Jericho took it and carefully started to brush Ambrosia's hair out.

"Oh! I got two strands!" Beast Boy grinned.

_:Your hair feels like honey, my Queen!:_  Robin thought. : _It smells like honey. It could be honey.:_

_:Hopefully not sticky like honey?:_  she giggled.

_:Oh, no, my Queen. It's softer than the most luxurious silk...:_

_:You make me blush!:_

_:I love you, my Queen.:_

_:I love you, Robin. My dearest Robin.:_  she gave a soft sigh and mentally kissed him. This time, he was able to savor the sensation, as he moved his hands through her hair. Starfire was enthralled in what she was doing and paid no notice to him. He was able to remove three strands of hair carefully from his fingers. Starfire was able to receive one, and Beast Boy got another. Jericho continued to brush out each strand and was able to remove several of them with the long, slow brush strokes.

"How long can this take?" Hot Spot asked when he got a hair.

"Not sure," Jericho admitted. "We can't simply pluck her hair. It would be very painful for her, and the magic the strands hold wouldn't be potent enough."

"Really?" Bushido frowned.

"Painful to pluck hair?" Aqualad blinked.

"Yes. It would be too stressful for her," Raven nodded. Several more strands of hair were given over, and Ambrosia seemed to sigh. She was clearly getting bored.

"Just a bit longer, dearest," Jericho smiled. "We're almost done."

"Ooh! I got three!" Beast Boy grinned.

"I have another one!" Starfire beamed.

"Ambrosia? Can I use my machine to scan you while they do this?" Cyborg asked. "To make sure it knows what pureblood is?"

"Oh! Definitely!" Ambrosia nodded. Aqualad was able to claim a hair now, and he blinked at the strong scent of honey the strand gave off. He realized that it reminded him of when she touched his cheek, and he quickly put the strand in his uniform to hide it away. He refocused with a deep breath and noticed that Jericho was watching him. He gave a small smile and a shrug.

"Such a long hair!" Bushido blinked, as he got his strand. "It must be on us physically? To touch our skin? Or in our clothes of some sort?"

"As long as it's in your possession. Like your sword," Jericho nodded. Bushido now took the strand and wrapped it into the pommel cloth of his sword. It would work better for him this way. The blue straps went over the hair to protect it and to hide it away from sight.

"Very nice!" Robin grinned. Jinx put her strand in her robe, and Herald did the same. Kid Flash wore his like a necklace and had it looped several times under his suit. Each Titan was able to keep their strands of hair on them hidden away and secured.

"Oh, there was something that Mother told me about Fae hair," Ambrosia said. "The strands can also work as protective charms, if you know how to use them."

"Really?" Beast Boy grinned.

"Yes. King Elvey and Father would need to explain how to do it," she nodded.

"All right. When everyone gets a hair, we'll have a group lesson," Robin nodded.

"Okay," Cyborg muttered, as he brought out two machines. They were the same type of device, and he had taken Bushido's advice on setting up one machine by the stairs in the castle and the other set of stairs leading to the garden. He focused them both on Ambrosia, and they scanned her silently. She felt an odd tingle, as they scanned her DNA sequence. Within seconds, the pureblood DNA was encrypted, and they were ready to be installed.

"That felt...odd," she blinked.

"But, now they're charged up and ready to deliver a nasty zap to anyone not an ally or of a pure bloodline," Cyborg grinned. "We'll need to warn that one guy, though. The site maker."

"True," Jericho nodded. "He will be the only non-pure Fae there."

"And if Orin shows up..." Ambrosia frowned.

"He won't," Robin vowed. "We already confirmed that."

"I hope so," she sighed.

_:My Queen, don't worry. That ingrate will NEVER step foot on these castle grounds! The crystals are already set with his energy to keep him away.:_  Robin promised.

_:I always feel so hurt when I think of him!:_  she sighed.

_:He won't touch you! I swear this!:_

_:All right, love. I'll trust in you.:_

_:Always trust in me, my Queen.:_  he mentally muttered and gave her a mental kiss. At the way she responded back to him, he almost lost complete focus. The scent of her honey hair wasn't helping, and he cleared his throat to regain himself.

"You're craving?" Jericho mused.

"No!" Robin growled.

"Dude, you look pale," Beast Boy frowned.

"I'm fine!" he snapped. Then he blinked and mumbled an apology.

"Robin? Um...do you need Ambrosia's nectar?" Starfire frowned softly.

"Ah..." he sighed.

"Robin, just stop fighting it," Raven scowled.

"How many vials do you have left?" Cyborg asked, as he fixed up the machines.

"Not that many. I need them refilled," Robin admitted.

"Then refill them and get your fix," Jericho smirked.

"Fix?" Hot Spot asked.

"Yeah," Robin grimaced. "She gave Beast Boy healing nectar, remember? He swallowed something when she kissed him. It's the same stuff that I've become incredibly addicted to."

"You're...addicted to it?" Aqualad asked with a frown.

"Is it a drug?" Bushido asked.

"No. It's liquid life, and Robin needs a lot of it to build up the magic that's growing in him," Jericho said calmly. "Robin. Fill up your vials and get your fix. Now."

"Fine," Robin sighed. He had to keep himself from appearing too eager to get it.

"Ambrosia, did your mom have the same stuff to heal with?" Beast Boy asked.

"No. She simply put a little bit of her essence into the body of the patient. Then, when the body was healed, she would pull out what she set in," she said. "She was a powerful healer."

" _She always was,_ " Jericho sighed, as Tintagel mused. " _She was the most skilled, too._ "

She smiled softly and watched Robin take out several empty vials. Then he shocked the other Titans there by kissing her and carefully spitting out the precious glowing yellow nectar into a vial.

"That's her nectar?!" Bushido gaped.

"That it is!" Cyborg grinned.

"She can only give so much of it at a time," Jericho frowned. "It can drain her."

"He's almost done," Beast Boy nodded. Right after the last vial was filled, Robin kissed her hard to drink down the nectar his body needed. Then he backed away a bit and took a deep breath.

"Feel better?" Ambrosia asked with a soft blush.

"Yeah," Robin sighed. "And don't any of you get the wrong idea!"

"Robin gets in pain without it," Starfire frowned. Now he moved to her side and kissed her. She blinked at this and said, "Your mouth tastes like honey!"

"You just taste what's left over from the nectar," he chuckled.

"It is...different!" Starfire admitted. "I feel stronger!"

"Good," he smiled. She hugged him tight and went back to carefully removing strands of hair.

"How much is left?" Ambrosia asked.

"We only need ten more," Jericho said in a soothing tone.

"Make that nine!" Beast Boy chuckled.

"It's so pretty!" Kole said when she got a strand of hair. "And it smells lovely, too!"

"Special hair?" Gnarrk blinked at it.

"Yes, Gnarrk! Look. I'll tie it to your waist, okay? It lets you see special things," she giggled.

The rest of the hairs were harvested and dispersed quickly. They didn't want to extract anymore hairs until they were needed, and this was unanimously agreed on.

"We have about three hours until the sun sets in Ireland," Jericho said. "We need to put the finishing touches in the ballroom. Then we all need to dress in our finest clothes, if we have them. Ambrosia and I will wear our wedding clothes."

"I can probably use Elvey's suit," Robin mused.

"I will wear my bridesmaid dress!" Starfire beamed.

"I'm sure that many of us will simply wear what we always have," Kid Flash chuckled.

"Right. Well, before any of you go off on your own, I need to show you all how to protect yourselves with Ambrosia's strand of hair. Many Fae will try to see what they can do to you all. I must make sure that you're all safeguarded. Let's all meet in the ballroom, and we'll do this there," Jericho said. "It's very important!"

"Okay," Hot Spot nodded and helped rally the Titans to get to Ireland. Ambrosia stood up to stretch, and Jericho hugged her tight.

"Ready, love?" he smiled and kissed her gently.

"Of course," she smiled back. He swept her off her feet to make her squeal softly, and he teleported with her to Ireland.


	22. Chapter 22

When they got there, he moved her into the ballroom. Robin and Beast Boy were quick to follow after them with the others. He took her over to the treaty on the wall and let her see it. She was actually impressed with it. Each carved out letter was filled in with gold, and it was done with utmost care. It stated that only those that signed and understood the treaty were allowed to come and go to the castle with ease. That the one who signed their name would be seen as an ally in hard times, and would be trusted with various secrets, if needed.

It also stated that, should anything short of blackmail or violent ways be done against those allied on the treaty be discovered, the one that did wrong would be seen as an enemy. The one in the wrong would be barred from the castle, and their name would be removed from the treaty wall instantly. The treaty further describes that there are no second chances. If someone proves to be an enemy, they were barred and untrustworthy from that point forward.

"Looks good?" he asked and pressed his cheek against hers.

"It does," she nodded slightly. He kept her back against his chest, as he stood behind her, and he had his arms around her. "Um, should we sign the treaty? And then have the Titans do this, too?"

"That wouldn't be a bad idea," Jericho mused. Robin came over at her thought and at Jericho's mental nudge. He thought and nodded in agreement.

"Titans!" Robin said with a small grin to get their attention. "We must all sign the treaty before the gala starts! Then we will teach you all how to safeguard yourselves with the hairs you received!"

"Right," Cyborg grinned. Jericho, Ambrosia, and Robin signed the treaty first. Then the others formed a small line to add their names to it. When all of the names were there, the Titans focused their attention back to Robin, as he calmly explained how to make the warding work for the hairs.

"If you have trouble focusing on not being able to ward off such a thing, let either me or Jericho know. I will likely have Elvey make a safeguard over the room to give a small warning to any that try as a precaution. In fact..." Robin thought and took out the pendant to focus slightly. The room walls glowed and settled back down. "There. The moment any Fae tries to use hostile magic or charming magic, they will get booted out of the castle!"

"We should still have our warding, though. As a precaution," Bushido said.

"Very true," Robin nodded. "We have an hour before this gala starts. Cyborg! Are the sensors in place and working?"

"Yep!" Cyborg nodded, as he fixed up a machine. "Oh. Were there any instruments that should be here? For the older folk?"

"I could use my Grymphyre," Ambrosia thought. "And my harp."

"I picked this up," Raven said and handed her a book on musical instruments. Ambrosia flipped through it and now focused on the stage for a piano to appear with a small orchestral set.

"Very nice," Jericho chuckled. Right after that, the instructions on how to use the hairs were given in full. Raven was sure that she would be helping those that still felt confused. When that was done, Jericho announced, "All right. Whoever needs to dress or change outfits, do that now. My wife and I need to get ready. Darling?"

"Yes, dear," she smiled, and he led her out of the ballroom to their bedroom. Robin and Beast Boy ended up following them. They had nothing else to do at the moment. When they got there, Ambrosia was busy changing into her wedding gown. Robin moved to help her change into her dress, and she pulled him close to kiss hard. Jericho pursed his lips together to keep from laughing. He knew they were building up to this point, and he had to let them be together. Beast Boy was just blinking at the whole thing before giving out sigh with a small grin.

"Um, I guess when they're done, we help her change?" he asked.

"Looks like it," Jericho grinned and finished getting into his clothes. He glanced over as their cries took on a higher pitch. Then he gaped at what they were doing.  _They were being together mentally and physically!_ He shook his head to refocus and muttered, "That is so unfair!"

"Huh?" Beast Boy asked. Jericho whispered to him, and Beast Boy gave him a look of disbelief. "They can do that?! I mean...geez!"

"My Queen," Robin gasped softly, as he rested against her now. His body was still shaking from the pleasure he just experienced, and she was no better. They kissed softly, and he finally pulled himself away from her with a small grunt. Jericho growled and pulled her to him to hug tight.

"You didn't tell me that you could do that mentally!" Jericho muttered.

"You never asked, dear," Ambrosia blushed. Beast Boy snickered and then paused at something sent to him. He cringed and seemed glare at her with a possessive look in his eye.

"No, you don't!" Jericho scowled. "Not until I'm done with her!"

"But, dear, you're already dressed," she giggled. As a response, he simply kissed her and shoved his clothing aside to be with her. Robin found himself laughing softly. When Jericho pulled away from her, Beast Boy growled and moved to her side quickly. After he gave himself to her, she was finally able to sit up and blush at them all.

"Evil wife," Jericho grinned, as he finished dressing.

"My Queen," Robin smiled and helped her stand.

"I think I need a bath," she whispered to him. He stammered, and Jericho looked at her.

"You're fine. We'll spruce you up and brush out your hair," Jericho smirked.

"Then I may need one after the gala," she mused.

"We'll see about that," he said. Robin just sighed and laughed softly, as he helped her dress. Beast Boy stood by the door with a small smile on his face. He watched Robin help her with her heirloom jewelry, and Jericho made sure they were all clean. Robin then took his pendant to chant softly, and Elvey's old garments returned with the yellow 'R' on his breast, the golden yellow cloak, and mask. Robin straightened out his green gloves and nodded to show he was ready.

"Robin," Ambrosia said and pulled him close to kiss to make sure he had a bit more of her nectar. She wanted to ensure that he wouldn't be craving her for a while.

"Good call, love," Jericho nodded. "I need to get Raven or Jinx to help with your makeup."

"I'll get them," Beast Boy said. He turned into a hawk and flew off.

"I don't think I should dance with anyone," she sighed.

"No, you shouldn't," Robin agreed. "Maybe King Ealdun, but that would be the only one I would allow. Even if they sign the treaty, I wouldn't risk it."

"And, if Alston dares to ask you to dance, I'll backhand him," Jericho muttered.

" _I'll just kill him,_ " Robin said, as Elvey came out to hiss.

"No violence at this gala," Ambrosia said calmly. "He will get a stern talking to. At first. If he tries again, then he will simply leave peacefully. Or forcefully. I do not want to be like the Unseelie Court. We must refrain from violence."

"True," Jericho sighed. "Hmm. Elvey, focus on the wards to only allow purebloods in? The only pass that was given was to the site creator."

" _Done,_ " Robin nodded, as the wards shifted with a small bit of focus. " _I'll need my pendant recharged. Let me find Herald._ "

"All right. Raven! Care to help my wife with her makeup?" Jericho smiled, as Beast Boy flew in with her following him. She chuckled and nodded. As Ambrosia got prettied up, Robin left to have Herald help charge his pendant. When Raven finished, Ambrosia thanked her and gave her a small hug in appreciation. Raven thought and frowned.

"You should wear your silver mask, at first. You should also come out after everyone shows up," Raven thought aloud. "Or, be the first ones there to be notified. I'm not sure."

"We should be seated and ready to greet them as they walk in," Jericho said. "But, you are right about her mask. When everyone is present, we can have it removed."

"I'll stick to being a dragon on her shoulder," Beast Boy grinned.

"No. We don't want to surprise everyone right away. Just sit by her and guard her with the rest of us. At first, we did agree to that idea. As of now, I think we need to keep that bit hidden. You will need to be surprise crowd control, if needed," Jericho said.

"Aww!" he pouted, but he nodded all the same. He knew they didn't want to spoil the surprise for all of them. "I am curious, though."

"About what?" Raven asked.

"What do we do if that site guy wants to do reviews about us?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Hmm. We can't allow that to be done until the tests from the Unseelie Court are done," Jericho said. "I'll have to let him know. I didn't mention the Titans all that much. I only told him that we exist. If anything, we can tell him our names, but that's it. I'll have to let the others know."

"I'll do that," Raven said. "You two need to get to the ballroom. The gala is about to start."

"Here," Beast Boy said and handed Ambrosia the silver mask. She gave him a pat on the head and slipped the mask on. Jericho placed an arm around her to squeeze her, and he led her into the ballroom. Robin was waiting there with Starfire, and they were already seated.

"Your mask?" Robin smiled.

"Until everyone gets here," Ambrosia smiled. "Raven suggested it."

"Makes sense," he nodded. Starfire giggled and waved at her. Ambrosia giggled back and sat down in the throne-like seating. Jericho had redone the room to have long tables facing the dance floor all over the room. The Titans would sit with them on one side, and the Fae would sit on the other. The treaty wall was completely accessible to be signed and read. Everything was ready. Raven, Jinx, and Herald stood by the main entrance to show they were protecting the gala. Jericho focused and sent out the invitations carefully. The response was incredible.

"Hmm," Jericho frowned. "Apparently, there were more Fae out there than we knew. They remained hidden away from the new age Fae to wait for a sign that the old, true Fae returned."

"Really?" Ambrosia frowned.

"Yes. There were small pockets of pureblood that still lived," he smiled softly. "Many of them do have crowns, that I can see, but none are soul-mated like ours."

"Oh!" she said with surprise.

" _Interesting,_ " Robin mused, as Elvey came out to study them from afar. When they appeared, the old Fae nodded with respect to the High Warlocks and made their way to the treaty first when directed. Many gaped in shock at the Titans, but quickly recollected themselves when they saw the treaty. They saw that these young men and women were allies. As the treaty was signed, they made their way to their seats. Quite a few sported rich robes of various colors, silks, and velvets. Moon crystals sparkled and danced on their fingers and ears. Those that had true crowns were given an upgraded seat much to their liking. When King Ealdun appeared, Jericho rose up and gestured to him. He walked over quickly, and both Kings embraced slightly.

"I have never dreamed to see so much of the old blood!" Ealdun admitted.

"Same here," Jericho chuckled. "I still have no clue how many are out there."

"Oh. There's Alston," Ealdun muttered, as the Fae man came in with a whole collection of Ambrosia's old belongings. She glared lightly under her silver mask, and the other Fae in the room looked over with surprise. An explanation was needed, and Jericho stood up to get their attention.

"My name is King Jericho! This is my castle with my Queen, and I welcome you all. However, this Fae is named Alston," Jericho rang out in his noble voice. "He has stolen things from my wife in the past, and, as a punishment of Judgment, his powers were blocked! He stole twenty items from her! His powers were to be blocked for a year per item! We shall see how many he brought back!"

"Outrageous!" a Queen in deep purple gasped.

"He stole from a princess?!" a King in deep blue winced.

"Who made the Judgment?" a young Fae girl asked.

"My wife's crown did, since her crown is soul-mated to mine," Jericho mused. That made gasps of disbelief occur. To prove a point, he walked over to his wife to press his forehead to hers. At the happy blue shimmering of their crowns, there was small applauds and light gasps of jealousy. Robin was relaxed, as he leaned back in his chair. He was silently studying and making notes on each Fae man and woman that walked in. Even any children didn't go unnoticed. He had to be sure of who was there as a precaution. Their scents were taken in. The light steps their feet made on the marble tiling were memorized. The sounds of their voices were even cataloged neatly.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"I'm just checking out the crowd," he smiled and patted her hand warmly. She blushed and nodded. "Don't worry. Everything's fine."

"Okay," she smiled. They watched Jericho moved down to inspect each item carefully.

"We have nineteen items here. Where is her gold brush?!" Jericho growled.

"I couldn't find it, Your Majesty," Alston winced. "I searched high and low for it!"

"Her mirror is cracked. Several of her dresses are ruined! Practically all of them! What did you do with her clothing?!" he fumed. "Did you wear them?!"

"No..." Alston frowned. "Um...I sort of...well...slept with them..."

" _What?!_ " Robin hissed, as he sat up now. Elvey was livid. " _You slept with my daughter's belongings?! You ungrateful, deceitful heathen!_ "

"Your daughter?!" another King asked.

" _I am not only Robin, the leader of the Titans, but I am also King Elvey, the Laughing Battle Mage,_ " Robin said in Elvey's light tone of voice. " _If none of you believe me, speak now._ "

Before anyone could say anything, he took out his pendant. The room went speechless. He had his proof, and they could say nothing. Only King Elvey had a pendant like his. Then he smirked, placed the pendant down carefully on his chest and glared at Alston.

"Think he's pissed?" Cyborg grinned.

"Totally," Beast Boy snickered.

" _Where is her brush?_ " Robin asked lightly and very dangerously.

"The...last I saw it...it was on my dresser long ago," Alston trembled. "But...it was gone for the last fifty years...you see..."

" _So, someone stole it from you?_ " he asked in a bit of a bored tone. Quite a few of the Fae winced now. Many of them were there when Elvey and Tintagel still lived, and they were quite familiar with how they worked. They remembered how Elvey would get when he started to get seriously pissed off. Alston also remembered, and now he got nervous. Very nervous.

"It...um...would appear so...Your Majesty..." Alston grimaced.

" _I lack a crown. Call me Robin or Elvey from this point. I'm not a true King anymore,_ " Robin sighed. " _It wouldn't be right, due to the one I'm assisting. He's a leader in his own way. So, you say you last saw the brush about fifty years ago?_ "

"Yes," Alston said.

"You're going to scry for it, aren't you?" Jericho mused. Robin gave a wicked grin and focused with his pendant. Robin's mind was safe, since the magic was coming solely from the pendant, and Elvey knew exactly what to do. Raven, Jinx, and Herald watched with a bit of awe, as that familiar blue orb appeared for Robin to peer into.

" _You...are a filthy liar!_ " Robin snarled out. " _You gave the brush to_ him _?!_ "

" _To who?_ " Jericho asked, as Tintagel emerged. The change in look, stance, and tone alerted the other Fae quickly. It was King Tintagel now, and they were all nervous. His reputation outlived him to this day, and, since he was still alive within Jericho, he was every bit as deadly then as he is now.

" _Who do you think? To Orin!_ " he hissed. " _Lost it?! You coward!_ "

"I...forgot that I had..." Alston stammered.

" _He is speaking the truth,_ " Ambrosia whispered under her mask, as Esmiralda emerged. " _He had forgotten. Remember, Elvey, dear, how he was searching in his rooms?_ "

" _Hmm. Fine. Be glad that she saved you. Again,_ " Robin scowled. " _Let's find the traitor._ "

"Orin?! He still lives?!" the King in deep blue gasped.

"Yes. He tried to ambush Ambrosia, my wife, while she was bathing long ago. Then he came here not too long ago. He said he owned this castle. I proved him wrong," Jericho smirked.

"Orin is a traitor!" the Queen in purple insisted.

"What has he done?" Jericho frowned.

"He allied with the Unseelie!" another Fae man said.

" _When?!_ " Robin hissed.

"Just a few days ago! The mark of Unseelie is on his upper right arm!" a young Fae boy said. "The stink of the Court is around him now! If you get too close, you will know!"

" _I knew it!_ " Jericho grimaced. " _There was no way he could have been 'simply curious' about coming here! And the cryptic messages he gave the others?! And to deliberately blurt out that my wife is in her second month? Elvey, find her brush!_ "

" _Working on it, brother. Patience,_ " Robin mused softly. " _Ah. Found it. Orin has it in his dresser. Hmm. Wards are weak. And..._ "

He held out his hand for her gold brush to appear within his grasp. He examined it carefully to ensure there were no marks on it to taint it.

"Let me see it," Raven said and moved forward. She was letting herself hover, and her eyes were glowing white. Her robe was black right now to show how powerful she was. "You should turn white for me as I advance, you know. That is how others know I am stronger. Hmm? Okay. Deal."

"Hmm?" Jericho chuckled, as he handed over the brush.

"My robe and I will have a talk about colors later," she grinned. Now she studied the brush, and her robe made mental assessments with her. "The brush is fine. It looks like hairs were trying to be found, but this brush never got any, right?"

"No. My hairbrush never removes hairs. Father had it specifically designed not to," Ambrosia sighed. "Why would one want my hair?"

" _Because your strands of hair are powerful, remember?_ " Jericho frowned. " _What else is there for us to say? You never lost any hairs while you were younger._ "

"No. Um...actually," Ambrosia thought. "I did lose one hair, but Aelfric had it. I'm not sure what happened to it. He told me long ago that he stored it in a safe place."

"Did he?" Robin frowned. "This happened after Elvey passed on, so he wouldn't know. He would still want to check his old castle home and get it fixed up to rights."

"Sinlus destroyed Elvey's castle and the hill it lay under," King Ealdun sighed. "We all tried to stop him, but...none of us were strong enough."

"He...destroyed the hill..." Robin gaped incredulously. " _Ambrosia, my daughter...!_ "

"Don't worry, Father. I will fix it," she promised.

"Father?!" a Fae man gaped.

"Elvey is your father?" the King in deep blue asked.

"She is King Tintagel's, King Elvey's, and Queen Esmiralda's daughter. She is the bringer of life," Jericho said slowly. "Yes. We know of the legend. The child she is pregnant with now is Aelfric being reborn. Her next child will be the bringer of death. We know the risks. As long as the child is raised properly, all will be fine. Queen Esmiralda confirmed it as a seer."

"So...her word has always proven true!" a Queen in regal, deep green nodded. "She told me I would find happiness long ago in a rose garden! I had one created, and I hardly ever leave it!"

"Her word is always true!" a Fae man in dark teal said. Other words of agreement were given and Jericho nodded. Then the man said, "But, how do we know that is truly Ambrosia?"

"I suppose it is time," Ambrosia sighed and removed the silver mask. Her legendary beauty stunned the crowd, and she gave a small blush with a tinkling giggle.

"It's her!" the King in deep blue winced. "It's Ambrosia! The one beloved and protected by King Tintagel and Queen Esmiralda! There is no doubt. Please, Queen Ambrosia. Can you tell us what happened? Is there a way to show us?"

"We understand there was a Fae network setup for those that wanted the truth. All of it is there. The founder of it should be here soon enough. However, if you want to know the story directly from us, then it can be told. There is much that happened," Jericho sighed.

"Elvey's eyes! She holds them, and I never realized it!" a Fae woman sighed. "Such beautiful eyes, too! How did Elvey fall?! He could not fall!"

" _I was tricked into killing myself,_ " Robin frowned, as Elvey spoke out softly. That had everyone gasp and stammer with disbelief. Jericho grimaced and nodded to him.

"Let us tell the tale. It will take some time," Jericho said. For the next hour, the entire story was laid bare. How Ambrosia was born. What happened in her youth. What happened with Elvey's Queen. It all came out up to the point that they were at now.

"She was cursed and set in that box?!" the King in deep blue gaped.

"And she couldn't move until I helped free her!" Beast Boy said, as he stood up. He went to Ambrosia's side and she hugged him with a grimace. "It's okay. No! Everything is fine!"

"He can read her thoughts?" the Queen in deep purple asked.

"His name is Beast Boy. Hence his name, he can change into random animals. Even mystical ones," Robin said with a smile. "He was the one that saw her cursed and got King Jericho to help free her. As for how he can communicate so well with her, he is able to respond to her empathy."

"Oh!" the Queen blinked. Ambrosia whispered softly to Beast Boy and he nodded. He moved to the center of the dance floor and became his unicorn form. Gasps of shock emerged. Then he became his dragon form and breathed a bit of fire to show he was guarding her. That got even more reactions. He snorted hot smoke, became human again, and grinned a fanged smile. He looked up at Ambrosia and became a hawk to fly back to her side. He reverted human again, and Cyborg smirked at him.

"Show off!" Cyborg chuckled.

"Always!" Beast Boy beamed. Small giggles and chuckles were heard now.

"So, you are a Titan?" another Fae man in dark orange asked.

"Yes!" he nodded. "And proud of it, too!"

He looked at Ambrosia and frowned. Jericho looked over at her, and Robin leaned over to whisper softly to her. She whispered back, and he nodded. Alston was still standing nervously in the center of the room. He hadn't moved from where he was, even when Beast Boy was showing off his flame, despite the urge to bolt for cover. He had listened to the whole thing about what happened in the past and was completely horrified at what Sinlus had done.

"We didn't forget about you," Robin said lightly. "Merely side-tracked. Well. Since all of Queen Ambrosia's belongings were rightfully returned..."

"True," Ambrosia nodded and stood up. "Alston, I apologize for striking you when we met after so long. Since you have kept to your side of the bargain, I shall keep to mine. Your powers are hereby restored! Please be neutral towards me from this point forward. Sign the treaty, if you wish. However, if you show any hostility towards me again, I will not be so lenient!"

"I understand," Alston nodded. She focused slightly, and her crown flared out. Another blue bolt of lightning shot through him, and he seemed to gasp when his powers flooded out as though unlocked from where they were. He took a deep, respectful bow to her and moved to sign the treaty. Only after it was signed, did Robin give a small nod. Alston still got small glares at him from what he did, but nothing else was said. Raven whispered to Starfire, and they both moved to gather up Ambrosia's belongings to take them to her bedroom. When they got back, Ambrosia smiled at them both in thanks.

_:My Queen? Is everything all right?:_  Robin asked.

_:Just feeling the stress of everything. The pregnancy, the story of my past...:_  she sighed. He gave her a mental nuzzle and a hug. Then he felt her seem to lean into his mind with a form of comfort, and he smiled softly to himself.  _This was why I am her human._  He was a bit surprised that none of the other Fae questioned his scent.  _Likely they weren't close enough or simply didn't realize it._ Cyborg suddenly got up at an alarm that sounded from one of the detectors, and he walked over to the main entrance to the ballroom. He gestured for the Fae site founder to walk over.

"Mr. Crumbles! Good of you to make it!" Jericho said with a nod.

"That stung!" he winced. "Will I be able to come back here?"

"Sign the treaty, and you will with no further problems," Jericho said. He nodded and moved to sign it quickly. He had come wearing his best blue suit and tie. The older Fae looked at him with a form of disgrace at how human he appeared, but they understood that he was now an ally and was giving vital information to the new age Fae.

"What did I miss?" Aelfdane asked, as he sat down. He had neatened out his black hair and had a tinge of a pixyish look from his slightly pointed ears. Even his dark green eyes seemed to hold mischief, but that was from the Fae blood in him. He looked youthful, but his blood was still incredibly weak compared to the pureblood in the room.

"Alston gave back Queen Ambrosia's belongings and had his powers returned," Jericho said. "Oh. I don't mind you recording the names of the Titans you meet to your site, but, please, refrain from describing what they can do. Right now, it's not safe."

"Ah! Yes! Of course, Your Majesty!" Aelfdane nodded. "Just let me know when."

" _Likely never,_ " Robin mused when Elvey came out. " _We don't want weaknesses exploited._ "

"Oh," the Fae man seemed to say.

"It's just to make sure that we stay safe, that's all," Jericho said.

"I understand!" Aelfdane nodded. "So, what's going to happen now?"

"That is truly the question for us all, isn't it, half-breed?" the King in deep blue asked.

"Um..." Aelfdane winced.

"Please, no name calling here! All of us are equals on signing the treaty!" Ambrosia frowned heavily. "He is an ally and will be referred to as such!"

"My apologies, Queen Ambrosia," the King smiled softly. "It's an old habit."

" _Don't think I don't know who you are, King Warren!_ " Ambrosia said, as Esmiralda came out. " _You always were a trouble maker! And don't you dare bat those storm-blue eyes at me, either!_ "

"Esmiralda!" he gaped.

" _Who else?_ " she giggled. " _I see you have let your silver-red hair grow out a bit. I always knew you'd look dashing! Your Queen is well?_ "

"My Queen..." he frowned and looked away with a heavy sigh.

"Did Sinlus do something to her?" Jericho asked carefully.

"Why...yes..." Warren blinked at him.

"He did to mine, too," Ealdun growled.

"What?!" Warren blinked. The Queen in deep purple paled at this and looked at her husband. He was wearing robes of light red and gold.

" _Sinlus must be targeting Queens. Had, in this sense. Not many are left anymore, right?_ " Robin asked softly. " _If there are any true Queens left, other than you, we need to know to safeguard them!_ "

"Oh!" the Queen in deep purple winced. The one in deep green seemed to pale.

"There have been multiple attacks from Sinlus ever since this castle was destroyed long ago," Warren said. "I'm sure you have heard of this?"

"Yes," Jericho nodded. "King Ealdun informed us."

"Darling, is the moon full?" Ambrosia asked.

"It is. It will be at its peak tomorrow night. Why?" Jericho asked.

"I feel it is necessary to demonstrate my powers of life," she said. "Robin, can you have King Elvey take us to where his hill was?"

" _Ambrosia..._ " Robin winced, and Elvey emerged. " _Your pregnancy with Aelfric..._ "

"It will be fine," she smiled. "Mother said so."

" _Well...if she said so..._ " he sighed.

"We can wait, if you want," she said softly. "This is a gala, and none of us have danced yet. The night is still quite young! We can enjoy ourselves first and then work on your hill after."

" _I think I would prefer that,_ " Robin smiled and nodded.

_:Don't worry, Robin. I will make the hill right again.:_  she promised.

_:Elvey is...very upset that his hill was destroyed. Let's make him feel better.:_  he nodded.

"So, if she is the life of legend, how potent is the life she gives?" a Fae man asked.

"Aelfdane, do not dare report this!" Robin warned. At the new age Fae's stern nod, Robin took out a vial of glowing yellow fluid. "This is the very nectar of life, itself. An ambrosia, much like her name. She makes this to heal others with. No, I will not give out these vials. They are my...personal rations. I'm addicted to this, since Elvey needs me to build a well of magic within me. It's slight right now. It may also be why I don't smell entirely human."

"Oh!" Warren blinked. "I was wondering about that! It almost smelled as if..."

"I know. But, that's not the case," Robin chuckled quickly. "I'm not a Fae like you."

"Well," Warren started.

"Trust me," Ealdun said quickly. "I know."

"Ah," he blinked. Now he realized that something must be kept secret about it. He would likely ask in time when he was able. Ealdun was helping Robin keep the secret from Starfire.

"Robin?" Starfire frowned.

"I smell like a Fae from the magic in me," Robin chuckled and shrugged. "Likely Elvey's pendant, too. He did adopt me as his son to train me in dreams, remember?"

"Oh!" she blinked and nodded with a smile.

"You are my life mate," he smiled and kissed her. Now Warren realized that he was correct in the secret. Starfire blushed hard at the passion he gave her in the kiss and giggled softly.

"So, do we dance and enjoy ourselves?" Jinx asked, as Kid Flash appeared at her side.

"That's the idea!" Jericho nodded. "If any of you are hungry, voice out what you want, and my wife will let it appear for you!"

"Tofu burger!" Beast Boy grinned and squealed when he got one.

"Should have Ambrosia make it a meat patty!" Cyborg scowled at him.

"Heck no! I can smell that stuff!" he smirked and chomped down into the burger. Just as everyone finished off their meals, Jericho frowned at a knocking on his wards.

" _Brother?_ " Robin asked, as Elvey took notice.

" _Someone is knocking,_ " Jericho thought. " _My dear brethren and allies! There is someone unknown tapping on my wards! I call a vote! Shall I see who it is? Or turn this one away?_ "

"Check for the scent of Unseelie," Warren advised. That made Jericho think, and Tintagel took over to show him how. When he checked on the scent of the knock, he glowered.

" _Who is it?_ " Robin asked now.

" _Orin,_ " Jericho growled.

" _No! Not him! We swore to Ambrosia!_ " Robin said with a seething hiss.

"Do not let that traitor in here!" Ealdun scowled.

"A pity..." Ambrosia sighed and frowned. Beast Boy actually dropped the rest of his tofu burger and leapt to her side to hug her.

"He's not getting in here! We won't let him!" Beast Boy soothed.

_:My Queen, he will NEVER step foot on these grounds!:_  Robin vowed. Jericho strengthened the wards and backlashed him away.

"He tried to harm my wife's pregnancy of my son, Aelfric. He is being reborn through her, and he  _dared_  to try and have him aborted!" Jericho fumed. "He will  _not_  enter!"

"He did what?!" Warren gaped.

"You can't be serious!" the Queen in deep purple paled.

"We should add our wards to yours!" her husband said.

"Yes, Elvin! We need to!" she agreed with him.

"Gelsey, dearest, which ward should we add?" he grinned. His purple Queen thought and giggled. Then she whispered to him, and he barked out laughing, as he said, "King Jericho! Would you mind if I added a ward that would make him lose his bowels if he tries at a harder attempt?!"

" _Oh, my..._ " Robin chuckled with Elvey. " _Brother. Let him._ "

" _Whatever you wish, my friends!_ " Jericho grinned. Snickers and sharp giggles were heard all around the room now, as the Fae placed their own nasty wards up. Whoever Jericho turned away would make the wards react with a vengeance. Just as he felt a slam done on the on the wards, the recoil felt was even better. Jericho had a rather wicked grin on his face, as he nodded. He was sure that Orin knew now just how powerful his new Fae allies were.

"Dearest, will he try to find me if we leave here?" Ambrosia asked with a frown.

"He will have to confront all of us!" Ealdun said sternly.

"And us," Raven said, as Jinx, and Herald seemed to let the robes glower with them.

"Don't forget about us!" Cyborg growled out. The other Titans murmured their agreement.

"I think you're well covered," Beast Boy smiled and cuddled her. Ambrosia smiled softly and sighed, as she ran a hand over her belly.

_:My Queen.:_  Robin sighed.  _:I love you. I am your human. Don't be upset.:_

_:I know, Robin. I just can't help but worry. Orin tried to hurt me twice now!:_

_:Third time's a charm, and that will_ not _happen!:_

_:Robin!:_  she whimpered mentally. Elvey helped him keep a straight face, as he started to be with her mentally. Jericho looked over with a slight look of shock before finding himself smiling softly and shaking his head. Tintagel was actually amazed.  _Robin was the first human to have this ability with a Fae. Normally, humans that belonged to the Fae could only speak telepathically and know where the other was, as well as feel each other's senses. This was on a whole new level completely._

"She was always different," Jericho mused softly to himself. Ambrosia had her eyes closed and seemed to be sleeping. It was easy to say that it was from her pregnancy. She was getting far too tired now, as it was. And it was her first pregnancy, too, so it wasn't going to take much to drain her.

_:My Queen...:_  Robin whispered mentally, as he visibly sighed and watched the dancing going on.

_:You should dance with Starfire, dearest. I'm too exhausted to do much.:_  she smiled mentally. He seemed to nod and gave Starfire a tickling poke to her side.

"Robin!" Starfire giggled.

"Care to dance?" he asked with a smile. She beamed at him, and he got up with her to dance.

"Ambrosia looks tired," she frowned, as he started to dance with her.

"She is pregnant. She's also a bit stressed," he sighed. "Orin has her on edge."

"Orin shall have the butt kicked if he tries something!" she said with a stern frown.

"More than that if he does," Robin agreed. He suddenly swerved to see Ambrosia gasping with a small wince of pain. Jericho was at her side, and Raven was quick to move and cast a shield of protection over her. Jericho rose up his hand to calm her and everyone that noticed.

"My son kicked her a bit hard," Jericho said. "Easy, love. Lean into me..."

She took in a deep breath, as he ran a hand lovingly over her belly to help soothe the irritated child within her. He took out a jar of Fae honey and carefully fed her a full fingerfull of it. That eased everything, and he nodded to the others to show that was all it was.

"When he's hungry, he knows how to voice it, huh?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Tell me about it!" Jericho sighed. "Darling? Feeling better?"

"I..." she started before wincing.

"Ambrosia! Nothing will happen!" Beast Boy said quickly. "We'll fix Elvey's home and nothing bad will happen! Everything will be okay! Uh...no! If he tries anything, I'll roast him!"

"Dearest, calm your mind," Jericho soothed and pulled her into his lap to cradle her. "Don't fret, love. Everything will be fine. Hush now. Everything will be all right..."

"Ambrosia?" Starfire blinked with a frown.

" _She's worried that Orin will try to attack her, if she leaves the castle,_ " Robin said, as Elvey whispered to her softly. " _She worries far too much, but she has good reason. With Orin being the eyes for the Unseelie Court now, she feels hunted and trapped. Hmm. Starfire, I need to scry on Orin. I will have Robin continue the dance with you, but this is important. I need to know what he is up to._ "

"I understand," Starfire nodded. He smiled and pressed a hand to her cheek in thanks. She blinked at him with a small look of surprise. The gesture was innocent, but Elvey had forgotten one thing.  _I can easily seduce a woman with the slightest touch..._

" _Ah..._ " he winced and withdrew his hand. " _Sorry. I didn't realize I still had that effect._ "

"Huh?" Starfire asked, and he chuckled. Robin took over quickly to hug her and right her senses.

"Elvey is able to make women like him far too much," he sighed.

"Was that what I felt?!" Starfire gaped.

"Yes," he said and gave a weak shrug. Now she seemed to think.

"Can he...do that again?" she asked with a small smile.

"Star," Robin frowned. "No. Don't ask that of him!"

"But, it is still you, too, right?" she asked.

"In body, but not mind, Star," he sighed.

"Yet...you comfort Ambrosia. Um..." she started, and he grimaced. "Oh! Robin?"

"No. It's fine," he muttered. "As Tintagel comforted Elvey's Queen..."

"What?" she asked.

" _Starfire,_ " Robin said softly, as Elvey came out. " _What you are asking of me is dangerous. I am someone you do not want comfort from. You will never see Robin the same way again._ "

"I do not understand," she said. "Robin is Robin. Even though you are in his head, it is still Robin to me. How is it wrong?"

" _Come with me,_ " he said. Robin took over to take her hand, and he brought her up to the balcony to sit with her.  _The scrying on Orin would have to wait. This was far too important, and Orin was kept back with powerful wards._ Elvey emerged again and said, " _Starfire, I will do an innocent gesture to you. Try and focus through it. Robin will do this first. Then I will. After that, you be the judge._ "

"Okay," she nodded. Robin moved to place a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and she blushed. Then Elvey moved to do the same thing to the other side. His fingers flicked out expertly to lightly caress her cheek as he did this before pulling away. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat while she gazed at him. He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to come around. She seemed to pale.

" _Do you see the difference?_ " he asked.

"How?!" she gasped.

" _Because I can give Robin the movements of a Fae, as well as the touch one can give. It's called enthrallment. It is something I never do to just anyone, Starfire. You are Robin's life mate. He is your suitor. I have no plans to intervene with his love for you. I am thinking of your safety, and so is he. I could destroy everything you've ever known with him, and I don't want that to happen._ "

"Destroy? But..."

" _Just trust me in this. Trust in Robin. You have much to learn in the true ways of love. Your heart is there, but your body is still focusing on things. That is something I refuse to interfere with._ "

"My body?" she frowned. He sighed and shook his head.

" _I will not harm such an innocent. I cannot explain further,_ " he said softly.

"But, I want to know!"

" _How do you feel when Robin kisses you?_ "

"I feel...special," she blushed.

" _If I kissed you in Robin's body, you'd feel different. It's hard to describe, and I really don't want to show you that. It is not my place._ "

"How different?"

" _You will not think the same way again about Robin. You would be thinking about me. That is something I will not allow,_ " he said sternly.

"I do not understand!" Starfire frowned. "You are confusing to me!"

"Elvey...just show her. Star, if he kisses you, promise me one thing," Robin said.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Don't fall in love with him even though he's in me, okay?" he asked.

"Why would I do that?!" she asked with a slight bit of irritation. At first, Robin said nothing. He looked away. He moved a gloved hand to his forehead as though to fully decide if he wanted to do this or not.  _It was a massive leap into unknown territory. She wasn't human, so, there was a chance that she could be all right._ Yet, he doubted it. _She reacted the same way a human girl would to an innocent touch._

" _I'm sorry, Robin. I cannot,_ " he muttered lightly. " _You will have to remain curious, Starfire. I refuse to do such a thing to you._ "

"But..." she frowned. "I..."

" _Please. Just trust me in this,_ " he pleaded softly. She winced and seemed to hug herself, as she shook. He grimaced that she was getting ready to cry. " _Oh, please, Starfire! Can you not see reason?!_ "

"How can I see what I do not understand?!" she trembled.

" _Forgive me, then, if I hurt you,_ " he muttered and moved to lock his mouth on hers. The shock of his kiss shook her to the core. When he pulled away, she was staring at him with disbelief. He looked away and whispered, " _Now. Do you understand?_ "

"I..." she paused, took a deep breath and shivered. "Yes..."

" _I warned you,_ " he frowned.

"Just...um...can I ask you something? Elvey?"

" _Sure._ "

"Did...Aethelwyne...fall in love this way?"

" _That is a mixed question,_ " he chuckled. " _At first, she did. But, then, she didn't. After a while, one can get used to the touches I give. In truth, I only felt the need to touch Esmiralda and my Queen. There were others long ago, but...Essi was completely immune to me. It surprised me, too._ "

"She did not respond like me?"

" _No. She sort of acted like how you do with Robin. She blushed a little. That was it. That was one of the reasons I loved her, too. I could easily show that I could touch another without that effect. That I could feel normal. That I could be normal. I didn't have to constantly keep my hands at my sides around her. It felt incredible that I could be myself._ "

He was about to say more, but his communicator went off. There was a break-in happening in the city he was protecting, and he scowled. Jericho looked over and frowned.

"Break-in, huh?" Cyborg frowned at the mental alarm he got. "Okay, who wants to handle this?"

"I'll go!" Bumblebee grinned.

"Me, too," Speedy nodded.

"I help!" Pantha said, as she stood up. Kid Flash, Mas y Menos, and Herald nodded together.

"Okay, Titans! If you have any problems, let me know!" Robin said. Herald made a portal with his horn, and they walked through it quickly. A moment later, Kid Flash contacted him.

"You're not gonna believe this! It's Mad Mod!" he growled.

"Are you serious?" Robin snorted.

"Yeah. We need some help!" Kid Flash grimaced.

"Okay," Robin said, as Starfire was frowning. "Star, you may want to change into your usual clothes. Titans! Mad Mod is on the prowl, and the others need help!"

"We will help you in your fight," Warren nodded.

"It's sunny where this is happening. Are you sure?" Robin asked.

"We have moon crystals!" a Fae man grinned. "Everything will be fine!"

"Darling?" Jericho frowned. "I don't want you to be hurt."

_:My Queen, stay here where it is safe.:_  Robin said urgently. She seemed to nod, and Jericho nodded to Robin. _She didn't want to endanger her pregnancy, and she wanted to conserve her strength._ Robin got up to leave with a few of the strong Fae. They were all back within ten minutes. Kid Flash was dying with laughter at what happened. Cyborg and Raven were grinning wickedly.

"What happened?" Beast Boy smirked. He had stayed behind to help comfort Ambrosia.

"He blew up another moon crystal," Raven sighed.

"A fully charged one this time," Robin grinned.

"He move fast!" Pantha chuckled.

"We distracted him, and Robin put the crystal under him!" Starfire giggled.

"Under his feet?!" Jericho gaped.

"It was a tiny crystal. A green one," Robin said. "If anything, he has a sore butt from how hard he landed on the ground. That's all."

"We froze him in place," Ealdun chuckled. Warren snickered with his wife.

"Hidden, I hope?" Ambrosia smiled.

"Very," he nodded. "His shoes are still melted in the ground from where he got flung out of them. It's a very nice piece of artwork now."

"How quaint," Jericho mused.

"He tried to hypnotize us again. It was funny. Robin shielded us from the effects," Cyborg smirked. "Then he started to whittle him down with taunts."

" _It was his teeth. And his ears,_ " Robin grinned, as Elvey came out. " _I just couldn't stop laughing! When he asked what was so funny, I asked if he looked in a mirror lately and smiled!_ "

"Wow!" Beast Boy said before he started laughing hysterically.

"Then he made the comment that, if that was done, the mirror may have shattered," Raven grinned. "We all died laughing at that!"

"What was he trying to steal?" Ambrosia asked.

"Something from the museum," Robin said. "Not sure what it was."

"As long as he was stopped," Jericho nodded. "All right. The moon should be nearly at peak height for tonight. Full peak tomorrow night. Darling? What did you want to do?"

"I really want to help King Elvey with his castle," she smiled.

"We will protect you!" Beast Boy nodded. Robin moved over to her to place a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled warmly at him.

_:I vow that nothing will harm you, my Queen.:_

_:I love you, Robin.:_

_:I will always love you, my Queen. Always.:_  Robin smiled and sighed at the mental kiss they shared. When he started to move away, he started to cough and gasp for air as he fell to his knees.

"Robin!" Starfire gasped.

"It's a fit," Jericho grimaced.

"Oh!" Gelsey gasped, and now Elvin looked over with shock.

"The only way for him to have fits is for him to have-!" Elvin gaped.

"Magic. He has magic in him from Elvey's pendant," Ealdun said quickly. Both Kings seem to stare at each other. One in confusion, the other in silent knowing. Warren still wanted to know what was going on. They returned their attention to Robin standing up after successfully fighting through it with Ambrosia's mental help. After silent reflection, it was Warren that broke the silence.

"No humans have survived having magic in almost three hundred years," he said carefully.

"It is because the new Fae blood around us is too weak to allow other humans in," Ealdun said.

"Aelfdane, how much Fae blood do you carry? Do you know?" Gelsey asked.

"Ah," he thought. "It's been five hundred years when the last pureblood of my line went missing, Your Majesty. I don't know who that one is, but that's all I know. It's been human interjections after that. I have, maybe, thirty-five percent Fae blood in me. A bit more than most, but, well, I know my magic and bloodline is weak. I feel very handicapped right now. Believe me."

"It's a shame that there is no way to make weak blood stronger," Ealdun sighed. "We tried it with one, and the man died. His blood was too human to take it, and his body could not adapt."

" _Heh. Maybe that's how we can take care of the new age Fae. See if they can all adapt to stronger blood,_ " Robin mused, as Elvey came forth. " _Then again, I wouldn't waste any blood on the heathens up there! They wanted Queen Ambrosia to remove her crown to give to them!_ "

"What?" Warren blinked.

"They did not see the magic the crown held," Raven said, as her robe gave her various thoughts. "They are far more human than they realize."

"Where did this happen?" Ealdun frowned.

"A night club. Just last night in our city," Cyborg said. "In fact, I can show you!"

"Can it wait until after King Elvey's hill?" Ambrosia asked.

"Oh! Certainly," Ealdun nodded. "But, we will want to know!"

"You'll get the information," Cyborg grinned.

"Why do you call him King Elvey?" Aelfdane asked.

"It's something ingrained in me," Ambrosia blushed softly. "Um..."

" _You could call me something else,_ " Robin smiled.

"I know, Father," she beamed, and he kissed her forehead.

"What are the coordinates?" Herald asked.

" _Three hundred miles south, due east by twenty miles,_ " Robin said. Herald thought and raised his horn to his lips to blow on it. The portal opened and they all moved through it. When they stood on the grass, there was only one thing Ambrosia noticed. It was the crater that lay before them.

"The hill..." Jericho gaped.

" _My...kingdom..._ " Robin hissed and sunk to his knees.

"Do not despair," Ambrosia said softly, as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Let me see what I can do, okay? All of you must remain silent!"

"Right," Beast Boy nodded. Everyone was in a state of shock at the hill. It was tall and proud once. Impressive, even. Now it was no more than a massive dimple in the ground. Even the grass around it look withered and halfway dead. Ambrosia took a deep breath and focused. The moon shone down on her to continue to keep its slow charge on her crown.

"Herald, if she shows any weakness, open a more direct hole to the moon, if you could?" Jericho asked. Herald gave a stern nod and watched her carefully. She sank her hands into the ground, and her entire form seemed to glow.

"That's right! She can seep out a little nectar with her fingers!" Robin blinked with realization. When her form shivered, Herald opened a more direct path to the moon.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Ambrosia whimpered and cringed. "Your magic...so weak! No! I will help! Do not give up!"

"We reached this place just in time," Jericho whispered.

" _If she didn't come here tonight, then the hill would have truly died!_ " Robin grimaced.

"A hill can die?" Beast Boy asked in a soft whisper.

" _Hills that are magical gain a form of intellect. They know things. It's the way the land works,_ " Robin whispered, as Elvey explained. " _This hill sort of...chose me. Knew I would protect it. You could say that Ambrosia's castle is her hill. In a sense, so is the one at Titan's Grove._ "

"Oh!" he said. Raven suddenly hissed when Ambrosia screamed out her rage. The hill was showing her what happened to it and how it got this way. Robin hissed his outrage at her thoughts, and Jericho was glaring hard at the sky with fierce hatred.

"No! Never again will that happen! I vow it!" Ambrosia said, as tears rolled down her cheek. "That one has died! He is a ghost now! Your King has been reborn through the one known as Robin! He wears the pendant! He will show it to you!"

At this, Robin took out Elvey's pendant to let it wink out over the land. A sigh of relief seemed to filter around everyone. Now the hill slowly started to shake and raise up. Herald had to keep his hole open on her to ensure she would remain at full strength.

" _That's it..._ " Robin whispered. " _Come on!_ "

"Ambrosia..." Jericho muttered, as he saw how much healing she was putting into the earth. She cried out in agony again before slumping over unconscious. Her effort was not in vain. Robin grabbed her before she hit the ground and watched the old hill reform. The grass was now green with life again, and the hill raised up for them to walk into.

" _Wait!_ " Robin warned. " _Let any old air out first!_ "

"Wow!" Cyborg said and stepped back. "Yeah. Like he said!"

"How is my wife?!" Jericho grimaced.

" _She's all right,_ " Robin said. " _Just very drained. Aelfric is fine._ "

"All right. Just..." he sighed.

" _Nothing will harm her,_ " Robin nodded. " _It should be safe for us to walk in._ "

"Let's see what we can salvage," Elvin said.

"So much healing! Not even Esmiralda could do so much!" Gelsey whispered.

"She is Ambrosia. The giver of life," Ealdun nodded.

"We will allow no harm to her!" Warren said sternly. Agreements were heard all around.

"May I put this in my site?" Aelfdane asked.

"Yes. You can," Jericho nodded. "But, do not put that she is pregnant."

"Ah, right!" he nodded. Robin carefully lifted Ambrosia up in his arms and stood up with her.

"Let me take her," Jericho said. Robin nodded and gave over Ambrosia to him. Then he reached for Starfire's hand, and she squeezed it back.

"Ready to see what's down there?" Robin asked a bit nervously.

"Yes. Let us go," Starfire nodded.


	23. Chapter 23

What greeted them made Robin shout with rage. Everything was completely destroyed. The castle was impressive before. Now it lay in ruins. All of the fantastic gardens that Elvey crafted in his life were dead and rotting away. The small houses he had built still held remains of his people in them.

" _I..._ " Robin started with a gasping breath, but it was Jericho that looked at him. Now he realized how Ambrosia felt when she saw her home after so long.  _There was a lot of work that needed to be done._

"Moon crystals will need to be replaced all around! We need to honor the dead! Clean up any and all rubbish around us and see what we can use to rebuild! Quickly!" Jericho commanded with his stern voice. "The faster we get this place defended, the faster we can keep others out!"

"Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"As he said! Go, Titans!" Robin said, as he recovered. Starfire nodded and flew about with the other fliers. The Fae there started to see what they could do to help rebuild. Jericho looked down, as Ambrosia slowly woke up. She looked around and cringed with pain at what she saw.

"Hush, darling," Jericho said and sat on the ground with her. "We are rebuilding everything now. The hill revived. We shall reconstruct what we must."

"I should heal this place more!" she winced.

"No! You've done enough for now!" he said, as he cradled her. "You've done too much, as it is!"

"The hill was ready to die," she sighed and leaned into him. "It had just given up all hope."

"Now I see why you stressed to get here so quickly the moment you learned of the hill being attacked. I think you sensed it."

"Do you?"

"Yes. I do," he smiled softly and kissed her. He touched his crown to hers to let them shimmer. Then she blinked and felt that something was happening. Jericho thought and realized that it was his crown reacting to the sight of the old castle.  _It was sad. Angry. Outraged._ He squeezed her to him and pressed his forehead to hers again. Her crown was now trying to soothe his.

"Hush, dearest. We'll make this right again," she whispered.  _His crown was originally Elvey's, after all. It had every right to be upset._ The crown shimmered a bit harder, and he grimaced. _It wanted vengeance against the one that did this._  She smiled and whispered, "Remember? Vengeance was done. Sinlus has died in body. You had cast the Will of Judgment down on him."

That seemed to make the crown feel better. He sighed and leaned into her as he whispered, "You are simply amazing, love. Absolutely amazing. I love you so much!"

"As I love you, my King," she smiled, and he kissed her hard. Both crowns shimmered again, and, this time, a small ball of blue light emerged from them. She gasped, as he stared in shock.  _The crowns were going to help rebuild the castle._  They had done this before, but it was to cast a Judgment on Alston in the Tower's training room. This was for a completely different reason. Robin was working in the interior of the old entryway when he looked over at them in complete surprise. The blue ball of light now moved swiftly among the wreckage to start rebuilding things back to how they were before.

"It can't be!" Ealdun gaped.

"Soul-mated crowns. The powers they hold are just...magnificent..." Elvin blinked, as he saw houses slowly being rebuilt from the ground up. Pantha and Cyborg had just finished setting up the pyre for the dead when they saw the blue ball zipping about and rebuilding. Raven smiled with joy at what was going on, and Jinx had tears in her eyes from what her robe was telling her. Even Herald nodded with respect, as the ball moved past him.

"Come on. Let's gather the dead," Raven said, and Jinx nodded. Then she grimaced when she saw what was left of the library. After that, the blue ball appeared here to start rebuilding what was destroyed and began reforming the books that were lost.

" _Raven,_ " Robin said, as Elvey emerged. " _my library was mainly based on magical practices. When it's rebuilt, you may find yourself living here!_ "

"Cool! I'll make a temporary room here," she grinned. He chuckled and made his way over to Jericho and Ambrosia. They both looked at him and smiled.

" _Your crowns are making vast improvements,_ " he smiled.

"Well, my crown was originally yours," Jericho grinned.

" _True! So, I suppose this isn't at all a bad thing. I just...can't believe how it was done,_ " he frowned. " _He actually spent three days to do this..._ "

"Sinlus despised you," Ambrosia shivered. "He despised everyone."

"All but you," Jericho snorted. "The bastard got what he deserved!"

_"Did I?!"_  a seething hiss emerged in front of them, as Sinlus's ghost appeared. Robin moved for his pendant, but Jericho rose up his hand with a stern shake of his head.  _Sinlus didn't know that Elvey existed yet._ Robin sighed and made a quick motion to hide his pendant under his shirt. That made Jericho nod, and he glared at Sinlus.

"You had no right to destroy what was not yours!" Jericho growled. "And to think that you would  _dare_  to show your disgusting presence here is unjust!"

_"It is my right! I destroyed this place, and I shall ensure it remains destroyed!"_  Sinlus scowled, as his ghostly form seemed to grow a bit more solid. Then he screamed, as the blue ball of light smacked into him and tore his form in half. The energy of the crown was raw Fae energy and was every bit as spiritual as Sinlus's ghostly form. Robin grinned wickedly now, but he made sure not to laugh.

"You haven't noticed my soul-mated crown rebuilding, have you? And I'm sure you don't know how pissed off it is at you!" Jericho grinned, as the blue ball of light launched again for another attack. Sinlus was no match for a soul-mated crown at full strength. It was actually a dual attack, since Ambrosia's crown was merged within the ball of light, too. Neither her crown nor his would allow further destruction to happen, and both attacked with a full onslaught of vengeance.

"Sinlus!" Ealdun scowled, as he sensed the presence of the Unseelie ghost. All of the Fae turned and glared. Sinlus had no idea that other pureblood Fae were there. He disappeared quickly in defeat before the blue ball of light could attack him again.

"How many moon crystals will we need for this place?" Kid Flash asked, as he appeared by them.

"I would say at least five hundred of the six-inch ones," Robin sighed.

"Mas y Menos will help me get to work," he nodded. The twins nodded with agreement, and they sped off to start harvesting. Ambrosia sighed, and Beast Boy was quick to fly to her side to snuggle into her. Jericho frowned at this, and Robin decided to stay put.

_:My Queen, we all vowed to protect you. Don't worry.:_  Robin said softly.

_:When will this disgust end?! I grow so weary of this!:_  she cringed. He could only nod and watch his castle towers slowly start getting rebuilt. When her crown was like this with Jericho's, there was only so much that she could do. It was hard for her to move after the intense healing she did.

"Hey," Beast Boy frowned and nuzzled her. "Everything's gonna be okay."

"I know," she smiled softly. "I'm just...really drained right now..."

"Yeah, I figured that," he nodded. "This place used to be really nice, huh? Oh!"

She sent him an image of what the castle used to be like with the grounds. His eye twitched at the way it was before and the way it was now.

"You see?" she asked.

"We'll make it better! Just as awesome as yours!" he promised.

" _I'm sure it will be,_ " Robin nodded. Jericho started to show signs of exhaustion now. His crown was slowly draining him, as was Ambrosia's. The longer the spirits remained out of the crowns to rebuild, the more it slowly drained the wearers in stamina and magic. If they didn't have the magical wells that they had, it would have been disastrous.

" _How much more rebuilding is there?_ " Jericho asked, as Tintagel emerged. " _The way the crowns are right now...any longer, and we may start to feel complete exhaustion. It will become dangerous._ "

" _Hmm. Let me see,_ " Robin thought. " _The rebuilding is moving at an alarming rate. The castle is about a third of the way rebuilt. I'm sure your crowns know that they cannot be out much longer and will need to rest, too. The attack on Sinlus surely did something to them._ "

" _I'm sure of it. Ah! There they are,_ " Jericho said with a touch of relief. The blue ball sped back over to them, seemed to separate, and shimmer back down into the crowns. Ambrosia gasped with soft relief and nodded at this. " _Get Herald. We need a good recharge._ "

"Okay," Beast Boy said and flew off to find him. Robin took out his pendant so it could get the recharge, too. Every little bit helped right now. Herald showed up to get the moon to appear for them, and their crowns started to glow. The pendant started to glow shortly after, and Robin looked up to watch Ealdun approach with a grim frown.

"Sinlus destroyed practically everything. There is only so much that we can repair!" he said.

" _Don't worry. It will be easy to bring back what was lost. That won't be a problem. It's just seeing everything that was done. Are the dead all gathered?_ " Robin asked softly with Elvey's concern.

"Yes. Um...your Queen's tomb was desecrated..." he winced.

" _WHAT?!_ " Robin hissed, and now Ambrosia gasped with shock. Herald had them wait until the recharge was complete before nodding for them to move again. Jericho was quick to get on his feet, and he carried her over to where Elvey's Queen was buried. Her tombstone was smashed in, and the corpse was violated. Robin was shivering with rage, and Ambrosia put a calm hand on his arm.

She focused softly, and her crown flared out. Very swiftly, the body was reconstructed. The coffin was set to rights just as quickly and covered back over with earth. Then the tombstone reformed, and it was set back to the way it should have been before it was destroyed. It was a beautiful tombstone with a small, chiseled out form of Aethelwyne's body. Only after Robin set a protective ward of his own over it, did he moved to Ambrosia to carefully hug her tight. He was going to need her later.

_:Don't worry, dearest. We will be together.:_  she promised.

_:I just...to know that it happened with Elvey's thoughts...:_  he winced. They kissed mentally and physically, since Starfire wasn't there. He pressed his forehead to hers and sighed.  _I am her human. Hers alone._ He gasped at the feel of her hand on his cheek, and he shivered softly.

"How much longer should we stay here?" Jericho muttered.

" _I don't think that there's much of anything else we can do,_ " Robin sighed when Elvey came out. " _I'm sure more rebuilding will be done, but..._ "

He paused at the sound of his communicator going off, and he growled. He was not in the mood to handle it, but he figured it would help him vent some steam. When he rose up, Ambrosia clung to his hand and he looked at her silently.

"Be careful," she whispered.

"You know I will," he said.

"Before you go into battle, clear your mind of rage. If you don't...something bad will happen..." she shivered. He blinked at this and nodded. There was a touch of Esmiralda's seer in that warning. Jericho frowned, but he made sure that Robin understood what she was saying.

"I'll keep a clear head," Robin promised. She gazed at him with her fantastic, deep blue eyes, and he yearned for her. "I promise. I'll return to you whole."

"Okay," she nodded.  _:I know you are distraught about the desecration, Robin. Just...please be very careful. Mages were known to go into rage fits in the middle of battle, and it did not end well.:_

Now Robin gaped at this, and Elvey confirmed it.  _It was the main reason why Elvey found things funny._ Now he fully understood. He closed his eyes and thought to her.  _:My Queen, I will never let anger take me over in battle from this point forward. You have my promise.:_

Now she nodded with a lot of relief showing in her eyes. He kissed her hand, released it, and he moved to inform the other Titans of another break-in.

"Ambrosia? Do you want me to go with him?" Beast Boy asked.

"Please?" she smiled. He nodded and ran off to help. Jericho pulled her close to him and nuzzled her cheek. A small kiss was given back, and he lifted her in his arms.

"Tired, darling?" he asked. At her nod, he moved to find Ealdun.

"You both look exhausted," Ealdun frowned.

"That we are. We are going to head back to rest," Jericho said.

"We have the location here, so we'll set up the teleporter for you. The, eh, Titan, Hot Spot, has just finished easing the dead back to their resting places. If anything happens, we will contact you," he said. "Ah, you can still hear through moon stones with King Tintagel?"

"Yes. I will be able to hear anything," Jericho grinned.

"Oh, while the others are away, you may want to explain the Fae bloodline in Robin," Ealdun muttered to him. "While we can with Starfire gone."

"Point made!" Jericho nodded. "Bring me those that have any questions about Robin."

Ealdun nodded and moved quickly. Within minutes, a small crowd gathered around him, and he was able to tell them in full about Robin.

"So, he  _is_  Queen Ambrosia's human!" Gelsey whispered with amazement.

"Yes. He is. It took him only three hours to go through the blood transfer," Jericho smirked.

"Seriously?!" Elvin blinked.

"Yes. He is a remarkable human. However, Starfire is his life mate. She cannot know what is going on. It would hurt her," he sighed.

"As I know," Ealdun agreed.

"Now I see of the secrecy," Warren nodded. "It is safe with us."

"But, now I must ask," Gelsey giggled. "Queen Ambrosia, since you are so different, is he different with you? Truly, there must be something new that you can tell us!"

"Let me just say this," Ambrosia smiled softly. "Robin can do far more with his mind now than he thought possible! That is all I need to say."

Ealdun thought and now he found himself blushing rather hard. The others started to hold back laughter and could only give out bursts of giggles.

_:My Queen?:_  Robin whispered to her mentally.

_:Yes?:_  she thought with a soft smile.

_:Be glad you are not here. Things did not go well for the ones that wished to rob the bank. However, it is resolved, and all of us are coming back now.:_  he chuckled. Ambrosia gave a small giggle, and Jericho voiced that the others were coming back.

"What are the plans for tomorrow night?" Elvin asked.

"We need to go to Stonehenge. Ambrosia feels it is important," Jericho said. "I would suggest that, only if you all wish to see Tintagel, Esmiralda, and Elvey in spiritual form, to join us. Otherwise, you can come back here to help rebuild a bit more."

"Truly?" Ealdun mused. "I would love to speak with King Tintagel again."

"Then we will see you tomorrow night," Jericho smiled. Ambrosia looked over, as Robin came over to her to nod and show he was well. Beast Boy moved to nuzzle into her side and beam at her. Then he looked up at Robin and frowned.

"You started acting loopy and stupid again. You'd better get your fix," Beast Boy smirked.

"I do not act loopy and stupid!" Robin growled.

"You seemed pretty dazed at the end of the battle," Cyborg muttered, as he walked over.

"Um, Robin, Beast Boy is correct," Starfire frowned. "I do not want to see you in pain."

"Star..." Robin cringed with a bit of a sigh.

"You're going to need a few more vials," Raven said, as she hovered over to them and landed lightly on her feet. "I can sense the magic is trying to grow in you. It's draining you at the same time."

"You can sense it?" Robin frowned.

"Yes. You need more nectar," Raven nodded.

"It is okay, Robin," Starfire smiled. "You are getting stronger! We are fighting together, too. So, it is okay! Let Ambrosia heal you."

Jericho looked at Robin and gave a bit of a frown at his thoughts.  _Starfire was starting to like Elvey._ Robin told his brother what happened, and even Jericho could see that she had become enthralled. Ambrosia gave a slight nod to Robin and let him get the nectar he craved. He had to monitor himself, since she already used so much energy in healing the hill and letting her crown help rebuild.

"We should head back home, darling," Jericho smiled and gathered her up in his arms to carry her again. She smiled softly and let him teleport her away.

"Titans, let's rest up! Those of you that want to keep rebuilding this place can stay. Any others will need to use their moon crystals to get back to their homes. I'm going to head back to the Tower to get some rest," Robin said. "And, yes, I may get more training, too."

"Training?" Jinx asked.

"Elvey trains him in his dreams," Cyborg grinned. That made her blink and giggle.

" _And it's not going to be any easier,_ " Robin smirked with Elvey's voice. " _The moment his head hits the pillow, training starts._ "

"Then let's delay no longer and get our all-mighty leader to bed!" Cyborg grinned.

"Shut up, Cyborg!" Robin scowled, and everyone laughed. After that, he left with the others to head back to the Tower and Starfire hugged him.

"Train well, Robin!" she beamed.

"I will!" he grinned, and he kissed her softly. She blushed at him and watched him head into his room. Her mind was filled with mixed emotions now. She knew she liked Elvey and couldn't wait to meet him in his spiritual form. Humming softly to herself, she hovered back to her room, and Robin was listening just inside his door. Both he and Elvey were clearly concerned, but she was warned about the effects of a Fae's charm. All he could do was see what happened. Heading to the bed, he gave himself a good stretching before lying back on the mattress and closing his eyes.


	24. Chapter 24

When he woke up, it was to Elvey hauling him to his feet, and he looked quite upset. Sighing, he muttered, "Starfire will be in danger, if she tries to meet with me."

"I know, Father," Robin nodded. "We both warned her of the risks."

"I think I know how to hold her back," Tintagel said, as he walked over with Jericho.

"Oh?" Elvey asked.

"Tell her that you will not touch her until she is wed to Robin," he said with a smirk.

"Oh! That might work! Since she is a princess, it is something she would understand," Elvey mused. "If she should ask to be with me, I shall state that fact. This way, she will still belong to Robin, and I won't fully do anything to her that would be out of the ordinary."

"I can only agree," Robin sighed. "Anyways, where is Ambrosia?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Jericho chuckled and gestured to a new bridge that was attached to the ruins they were on. It led to an airy gazebo held aloft on a sturdy mountainside. Esmiralda and Ambrosia were waving at them from where they sat. When Robin moved to walk over the bridge, Elvey stopped him with a small grin, as he stepped in front of him casually.

"Think it will be that easy?" Elvey giggled.

"Oh, come on!" Robin growled, and Tintagel started laughing.

"Father, let him at least hug me?" Ambrosia sighed, as she started to cross the bridge. He looked over at her and gave a small nod. Now Elvey moved aside to let Robin hug her tight.

"It's...getting really hard...to leave your side..." he muttered.

"Do you remember, Robin," she smiled with a soft sigh. "how you said you were only human and could not be subjugated? How it would go against everything you stood for?"

"I said I would not let Jericho subjugate me! I said nothing about you," he grinned, and she blushed. Now Jericho started laughing with Tintagel and Elvey. "Besides, I told you before, and I'll tell you again. I regret absolutely nothing!"

"And Starfire?" she asked gently.

"Everything will work out," Robin said softly and caressed her cheek. "I promised you it would, my Queen. Nothing has changed since then."

"Very well," she smiled, and he kissed her deeply before letting her go. Jericho pulled her close to him to hug her next. "Fear not, my husband. I'll be safe."

"I know you will be," he smiled and kissed her intensely. When Tintagel cleared his throat, Jericho broke the kiss to mutter softly in the Fae tongue. Ambrosia blushed, and Elvey barked out laughter. At Tintagel's warning glare, Jericho grinned, kissed Ambrosia's forehead, and let her go back to her mother across the bridge.

"Don't you ever talk back to me like that again!" Tintagel scowled and knuckle-rubbed Jericho's head as a mild punishment. That got Jericho to stammer, and Robin found himself laughing.

"Um, Mother, what are we going to do while they train?" Ambrosia giggled, as she sat down.

"We are going to try and distract them," Esmiralda said with a wicked gleam in her eye. That made her daughter blush, and they started to whisper to each other. As the men on the other side of the bridge prepared to start training against each other, Robin suddenly looked over with his jaw dropped.

"What are they doing?!" Elvey hissed. They had conjured up various silk screens to only display their silhouettes, and they appeared to be removing and changing into various items of clothing.

"That's cheating!" Tintagel cringed. Jericho was growling, and Robin was completely tense now. The two Fae women seemed to pay them no mind at all.

"Looks like we all have to remove distractions from our minds," Elvey muttered. Then they all heard tittering laughter, as it appeared that even more clothing was being swapped around.

"We are so vile, my daughter!" Esmiralda giggled with mirth, as they were simply seated in their chairs. Ambrosia could only nod, as she started to learn how to play various Fae instruments from her childhood youth long ago. Then her mother looked over at the bridge and clucked her tongue. Now a massive Treant appeared to block any that tried to cross the bridge.

"That sneaky, evil wife of mine!" Tintagel growled, as the monster hissed at him.

"Son, care to help me attempt to get past this creature?" Elvey grinned.

"Sure, Father," Robin nodded. Jericho and Tintagel nodded to each other now, and plans to work together this once were quickly made.

"Elvey and I will distract the Treant. You two try to get past it," Tintagel muttered.

"Got it!" Robin said lightly.

"Ah...that's not good..." Elvey blinked, as a second Treant appeared on the other side of the bridge. "Well...hmm...now what?"

"Damn it!" Tintagel growled. Then he gaped when spindly vines appeared as green tentacles to cover over the bridge. "Such an evil wife..."

"Ambrosia has no idea," Robin mused. "Should I tell her?"

"Yes. Let her know," Jericho nodded.

_:My Queen?:_  Robin thought.

_:Yes, love?:_  Ambrosia thought back.

_:Your mother has made it near impossible to reach you!:_

_:Darling, I know this. It was my idea!:_

_:WHAT?!:_

_:Well, everyone is always trying to test limits, right? Besides, nothing will harm you. Remember, dear. It's only a dream! Now get over here so I can reward you!:_  Ambrosia giggled in his mind and sent him a kiss that made his mind spin. He coughed and shook his head.

"She knows. Her idea. We'll punish her when we reach her!" Robin muttered.

"This was  _her_  idea?!" Jericho gaped. Tintagel and Elvey seemed to groan as one. As they worked on trying to figure out a way to her, Ambrosia gave a twinkling look to her mother. Esmiralda laughed softly and then paused. Then she paled.

"Mother?" she asked.

"I just...had a very disturbing vision...!" Esmiralda gasped and rose up. Just as the men were about to try their luck, the plant monsters vanished, and they saw her gesturing to them frantically.

"Something's wrong!" Tintagel said quickly and ran over to her. Elvey growled and was the next to run over with Robin and Jericho trailing behind.

"What is it, Essi?!" Elvey asked and moved into the gazebo.

"Sit! All of you!" Esmiralda said urgently. They did as she asked, and she took a deep breath. "Aelfric in our daughter's womb...I didn't even see it before until now..."

"What about my son?!" Jericho asked with concern.

"Since he is a part of young Robin now, a change is going to happen. Aelfric will be the child of death!" Esmiralda grimaced. Robin blinked and found himself speechless.

"I see," Elvey winced. "Because Aelfric gained a portion of Robin's blood from becoming our daughter's human..."

"On top of that, Aelfric was unjustly murdered," Tintagel frowned.

"But, he will have no memories! How would this even be possible?!" Ambrosia asked. "I thought that the child of death would need to be created within me with two at once!"

"Such is not always the case," Esmiralda sighed. "But, now I see why Sinlus was trying to remove Aelfric's spirit from your womb. I can see why Orin tried to force you to abort the pregnancy. All of it has now come together. Aelfric will actually regain a portion of his memories. He may forget that Elvey was his father and that Aethelwyne was his mother. But, he will remember that Sinlus wronged him in life, as well as the Unseelie Court. He will remember quite a bit of his magical spells, and have nearly all of his magical abilities. He will already know to use his powers for justice and good. There was something else that I saw, too."

"Tell us," Tintagel said.

"Aelfric will drain our daughter significantly in the third month. She may not go into rage fits, but even worse. Since he is death, if King Jericho does not get back to her side in time...she will perish," Esmiralda said slowly. "He  _must_  be at her side at all times!"

"Ah!" Jericho paled, and Robin swallowed hard. "And...with the tests coming up..."

"If you warn the Unseelie Court of the violent nature a soul crown has on the death of its mate, they will reconsider attempting to separate you from my daughter," Esmiralda said with a small smile of satisfaction. "Worry not. They witnessed firsthand what a vengeful crown can do."

"That makes me feel a touch better. Not by much, though," Jericho sighed. Ambrosia reached for him, and he pulled her into his embrace to crush her to him. "Nothing will happen to our son! Don't worry, love. Everything will be fine..."

"Um, would it be possible to hold the training? I would very much like Robin to be resting with me. When we fall back to sleep, we can resume. I am only asking for this, since he was hurting before, and really needed to be with me. I was very much the same," Ambrosia said softly.

"We can do that. Everyone knows that you are training and not to be disturbed. It will be fine," Elvey nodded. "What do you see, Essi?"

"You are correct. And I know that, after learning about my grandson's new destiny, it is needed," Esmiralda nodded. "Be swift, young ones!"

At that, Robin woke up and sat upright in the bed. Elvey helped him sense around and confirm that everyone was sleeping. As he prepared to teleport, he frowned at an unknown noise. Narrowing his masked eyes, he had to investigate it. He walked out of his room noiselessly, and Jericho was looking through various moon crystals planted around the Tower. He nudged Robin towards the kitchen, and now he stared at a rather known villain that was making himself at home.

He was known as Control Freak. He was a fat older teen in a gray overcoat with metallic trim. He looked like someone that would fit right in at various comic conventions. Black and grey pants, and a large black shirt finished his outfit. Long, but thin, red hair framed his fat, circular face, as his slightly sunken in eyes scoured over what was in the fridge. What really concerned Robin was that this one of the villains that was frozen with the Brotherhood of Evil.

" _What are you doing here?_ " Robin asked in his light tone, as Elvey emerged. Control Freak let out a startled yip, as he never heard Robin sneak up behind him.

"Um...I was hungry?" he grinned and stammered. He suddenly found himself smashed into a wall with incredible force. Robin wasn't playing any games now.

" _I'm only going to ask you once,_ " Robin smirked and let out a cold chuckle. " _How did you get unfrozen? Answer quickly, and I might let you live. Might. Such a charming word. Isn't it?_ "

"I don't know!" the villain whimpered. That single chuckle actually sparked fear in him. "All I remember was waking up and able to move! I wasn't even around the others!"

" _I see..._ " Robin frowned. " _How did you get in here?_ "

"The front door?" Control Freak grinned again and shouted, as Robin's foot suddenly slammed into his face. Now the villain realized that there was something different about Robin. Normally, Robin would be demanding answers. He was simply being attacked without mercy.

" _Wrong answer. Keep going! How much more of a grave will you dig?_ " Robin asked with a nasty grin on his face. His pole was out now, and he looked over at Beast Boy when he charged into the room from all the commotion. He looked at Robin and then Control Freak. He let out a savage snarl.

"Okay! Okay! A window was open!" the villain cringed. He found himself surrounded by shadows, as Raven lifted him into the air. She was not happy on losing sleep.

"Good thing I got him before you did," Raven smirked.

" _I know,_ " Robin nodded. " _One last question before we toss you out._ "

"Yes?" Control Freak whimpered.

" _You say you 'got in' from a window. You say you were 'unfrozen and alone' when you woke up. I think you're lying about the 'alone' bit. Tell me. Did you shake someone's hand?_ " Robin mused.

"No! I told you all I know! I swear!" Control Freak grimaced.

" _You're still lying,_ " Robin grinned wickedly now.

"Well, if he did shake someone's hand, then he's pretty much a dead guy, right?" Beast Boy grinned widely. "Meaning that, if he dies, he still loses!"

"So true," Raven nodded. "Did you want to glamour him, Elvey?"

" _Oh, yes,_ " Robin chuckled again. Control Freak blinked at this, and he found himself staring into Robin's unblinking gaze. When he passed out, Raven vanished with the villain to a local jail to drop him off. When she got back, she looked at Robin with a nod. He sighed and said, "Cyborg and Star are still sleeping. I need to head to Jericho's castle. Esmiralda found out something...pretty interesting about Aelfric. It really distressed Ambrosia, and I need to make sure she's all right. I had to stop my dream training for it, so I know that Elvey is waiting for me to get back into it."

"What did you find out?" Beast Boy frowned.

"Aelfric is going to become the child of death," Robin said softly.

"What?!" Raven gasped. Beast Boy paled now.

"Since I became Ambrosia's human, she had to consume my blood. On doing this, Aelfric became my son, too. It...counted...you see..." Robin shivered a bit. "But, he's going to hold onto various memories. He knows that he was killed unjustly and by whom. He will know of the Unseelie Court. He will remember all of that. Just nothing of his prior parents. He will already know to use his power for good and just causes. But, there is a bad side effect in the third month. Since he's going to be the child of death, instead of Ambrosia going into fits of rage, he will start draining her life. She could die, if he drains her too much. Jericho can't ever leave her side."

"I see..." Raven blinked. Her robe was shocked from this knowledge.

"Dude, go to Ambrosia now! Quick!" Beast Boy growled. Robin nodded and teleported to Titan's Grove, and then to Jericho's castle. He moved straight to the bedroom, and Jericho pulled him in quickly to get hugged by Ambrosia.

"My Queen? What's wrong?" he frowned, as held her on the bed.

"What took so long?" she shivered.

"Sorry, my Queen. A villain broke into the Tower. I had to escort him out neatly," he chuckled.

"I told you so," Jericho smirked. She made a face at him, and he grinned back.

"My Queen, you could have asked me yourself, you know," he smiled.

"I know. I just...I guess..." she frowned, and he kissed her gently. It quickly turned into a long kiss of solid need, as clothing was quickly removed. Jericho sighed and waited for them to exhaust themselves before moving under the covers with them.

"Be very glad I respect you, Robin," Jericho muttered. When he felt her press into his side, he smiled and said, "Fine. As long as she comes back to me in the end."

"She's pressing into me, too, you know," Robin murmured. She neatly kept herself pressed between them. "Anyways, are we ready for training?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Jericho grunted, as he closed his eyes. She was already sleeping deeply by the time they slipped into slumber. When the three of them were back in the dream, Tintagel, Elvey, and Esmiralda were waiting patiently for them.

"Oh, good. You came back," Elvey grinned.

"No choice, Father," Robin shrugged.

"So true at that. Ambrosia? Are you all right?" he asked and walked over to her. She gave him a tight hug, and he hugged her back just as tight. "Don't worry, my daughter. We'll see you outside of dreams tomorrow night. It's a given, if you go to Stonehenge. You'll be well protected."

"I know, Father," Ambrosia shivered, and he kissed her forehead gently.

"Your mother is waiting for you in the gazebo," he said with a gentle smile. She nodded to him, and he hugged her again before letting her go. When she was far enough away, he growled out, "I refuse to let anything unwanted touch her from this point forward!"

"Don't we all?" Tintagel smiled. "She is our flesh and blood. We will all kill to protect her."

"That goes without saying," Jericho nodded. "And it looks like our training is picking up where it left off. Still go with the plan?"

The Treants reappeared on each side of the bridge, and the tentacled plants came back in full over the bridge. The four of them looked at each other to nod. In the gazebo, Esmiralda was hugging her daughter. Unknown to anyone, her mother had the ability to block out her daughter's thoughts. No one knew that Ambrosia was suffering without Jericho or Robin nearby.

"They will be here," Esmiralda soothed. "As it is, you are sleeping quite close to them. Remember? They are much closer than you think."

"I know, Mother," Ambrosia shivered. "Normally, I am fine. I honestly don't know why I need them like this. It puzzles me!"

"Dear, you are in your second month. Hmm. Look out a window. Just move the silkscreen aside, and you should see them. Maybe that will help?" she smiled. Ambrosia nodded and looked out one of the large windows. When she saw them thwarting off a Treant to get close to her, she cringed and shook hard. Now her mother looked into the future and rose up to the entrance of the gazebo. The Treants were still holding ground, as the men dodged the various tentacles on the bridge.

"Essi looks worried!" Elvey grounded out, as he smashed a tentacle into the bridge structure.

"Then we double the pace!" Tintagel hissed. Jericho and Robin nodded and moved faster in true teamwork. Now Esmiralda removed the shielding from her daughter's mind.

"My Queen!" Robin gasped. "No!"

"We're coming!" Jericho snarled out and started using exceptionally strong magic to char away the plant growth. Tintagel could only nod and join him. Elvey and Robin moved as one to clear the bridge free, and they got past the second Treant with swift legwork. They both ran into the gazebo, and Robin found Ambrosia in his arms and shaking. He kissed her hard to help calm her, and then he gave Elvey a worried look.

"Let her hug Jericho," Elvey said, and she was quickly given over to him. "Essi, why did you block her thoughts from them?!"

"You sensed it?" Esmiralda frowned.

"I created this place! Yes, I sensed it!" he scowled. "Why did Ambrosia get this way?"

"Tell us, dear," Tintagel said, as he moved behind his wife to keep her from trying to escape him.

"In truth, I have just found this out," Esmiralda admitted. "I was keeping her thoughts back to allow you all to train. As it is, Aelfric has an odd way of showing that he misses his fathers."

"Aelfric was making her get this way?!" Elvey gaped.

"Yes. He is exceptionally strong in development. He is able to speed up her need to see those she trusts. To him, that is young Robin and King Jericho. Beast Boy is tolerable, but he does not see him as a father. It may be taxing at times for you, Robin. If Aelfric wants you close, he will make my daughter suffer for it. He proved it just now," she said.

"Aelfric, I cannot be here all the time!" Robin muttered to Ambrosia's belly. A hard kick was given in response, and Jericho scowled.

"Wait," Ambrosia frowned, as she rubbed her belly. "How is it that Aelfric is able to respond in a dream like this? I thought that...well..."

"Ah..." Elvey thought and went silent.

"Aelfric did manage to come to us. In his current state," Tintagel mused slowly. "Amazing."

"Apparently, our son is very smart," Jericho sighed. Robin could only agree with it. Jericho moved to Ambrosia's side to gently rub a hand over her belly and whisper soothingly. At first, several hard kicks were given before they settled down. He whispered a bit more and chuckled in a fatherly way.

"He needs to remember that I can't be there all the time. I have the Titans to lead and defend, too. I'll be here as much as I can, but that's all I can do," Robin nodded.

"He knows. I think," Jericho smiled, as he continued to rub his hand over Ambrosia's belly. "Is our training done? I'm not sure how much time we have left before others start to wake up."

"You have four hours, actually," Elvey nodded. "We didn't get much done, but, in light of things, I think we are done for tonight."

"All right, Father. I'll see you later tonight," Robin smiled. They hugged, and Elvey ruffled his hair fondly. Robin gave a small blush at it, and Elvey chuckled. When the three of them woke, Robin found Ambrosia turning to face him. He kissed her desperately, and Jericho sighed. The moment Robin was spent, she turned and tackled her husband. When the pleasure finally started to fade, Jericho squeezed her to him and kissed her forehead.

"Are you tired yet?" Jericho chuckled, as she rested on him.

"I think so," she muttered. Robin was already sleeping deeply, but Elvey was wide awake.

" _Jericho, check on the Tower,_ " he murmured in his light voice.

"Oh?" Jericho frowned and focused on all of the moon crystals there. "Hmm. Beast Boy is awake. He's...going to Robin's room? Why?"

" _Ambrosia, have him come here,_ " he sighed.

"All right, Father," she nodded and thought. A moment later, Beast Boy was in the room.

"What's wrong?" Jericho asked.

"I have a big question to ask," he said.

" _Robin is sleeping, but I'm not. Ask away,_ " Elvey chuckled with Robin's voice.

"How does it work to become Ambrosia's human?" Beast Boy asked carefully.

"Beast Boy, no!" Robin snarled, as he sat up. Elvey shoved Robin's mental side awake for this. "You can't! You won't survive the pain! I barely survived it! If you become her human, you give her  _everything_  about yourself! Your body, your mind, your soul...all of it!"

"Beast Boy, why do you ask this of me?" she frowned, as Jericho sat up with her. "As it is, I can only have one human! Too much human blood in my system could become fatal to me!"

" _You need to explain yourself,_ " Jericho said. Tintagel took instant attention to this.

"I want to become closer to you, Ambrosia. I mean...I know that Raven's cool. I'm starting to like her, and we are getting along better..." he grumbled.

"We have a special bond, though," she said gently. "I can contact you whenever I need to."

"But, I want to be able to respond back!" he finally managed to speak out what truly bothered him. "I know that you can reach me. But I wanna reach you, too!"

" _Shift into an animal, Beast Boy. Try and speak to her mentally,_ " Jericho suggested. Beast Boy blinked and became a small cat. He jumped up to the foot of the bed and looked at her. Then he gave out a startled mew when she smiled at his thought.

"Animals normally can speak to me this way, you see," she beamed. "So, you can still communicate with me. Just not as a human."

He seemed to give a pouting purr, but he nodded. He curled up at the foot of the bed as though claiming that place as a right. Robin smirked and thought aloud, "I wonder what would happen if I kicked him off the bed..."

"He'll tackle your feet," Ambrosia giggled. "Anyways, we should rest more."

"That we should," Jericho nodded. When he closed his eyes and drifted off, Robin knew that Beast Boy was already sleeping. He nudged Ambrosia awake gently, and she frowned at him.

_:My Queen. I really need you right now...:_  he sighed.

_:Robin? What is wrong?:_  she asked, as she gazed at him. Elvey showed him how to carefully remove her from the bed, and he slipped into the bathroom with her. He lay her down on the plush rug here, and he gasped when she moved a hand up his chest to his cheek. His pendant winked at her in the dull light, but there was a touch of concern that it gave off.

_:I don't want you to have another human!:_  he cringed, as he crashed his mouth down on hers.  _:I just want to be your human! I don't want competition!:_

_:Robin! Listen to yourself!:_  she gasped mentally and gave him the nectar he craved.

_:I know, my Queen, but I mean it! Just thinking that...I could be replaced...:_

_:You will_ never _be replaced, Robin! You are_ my _human! Mine!:_

_:Yours. I am yours, my Queen...:_  he groaned now, and he let his body do what it wanted with hers. After they lay gasping in each other's arms, he mentally muttered to her.  _:My Queen, the only way I survived was from one thought that went through my head. That I was yours. That I belonged to no other. I'm just...so relieved...that I'm yours...:_

_:I know you are, my love. Don't think that I don't know that! I'm just happy that I know I have someone to turn to, if I need it. Someone I can trust.:_

_:You can always trust me, my Queen. I love you.:_

_:I love you, too.:_  she smiled warmly at him, and he had her remove his mask carefully so he could give her everything he had once more.


	25. Chapter 25

In the early afternoon, Jericho woke up to find that Ambrosia and Robin were missing. Scowling softly, he moved into the bathroom to find Robin placing his mask back over his eyes quickly. Ambrosia was blushing softly, as she had just awoken to the sudden movements.

"Don't steal her from me again," Jericho warned.

"Sorry. I really needed her. I was going to bring her back...but..." he winced.

"Darling, it is fine. He needed to be reconciled. However, I do need to eat," she smiled.

"I'll get you some honey, dear," Jericho said with a nod of mild defeat. Robin was already scooping her up to take her back to the bed, and he dressed quickly.

"I need to get back to the Tower. I overslept," he grimaced.

"Yes, you did. Go. Now!" Jericho urged. Robin now snatched up Beast Boy's groggy cat form and teleported back to the Tower. When he walked out of his room, he was faced with a line-up of his teammates. All of them were not happy.

"Robin! Where were you?!" Raven scowled.

"You were gone again..." Starfire frowned.

"Dude, you gotta stop doing this!" Cyborg muttered.

"Sorry, guys!" Robin sighed deeply and let Beast Boy go to reform into his human self. "I had to train, and it was stopped. There was a big discovery made about Aelfric from Esmiralda. I had to go to Jericho's castle and sleep there to finish my training. I had no choice. Raven, you know this. I told you last night when Control Freak was here."

"Control Freak was here?! Dang it! I'll have to check my defenses now!" Cyborg groaned.

"What was discovered about Aelfric?" Starfire asked.

"He's...destined to be the child of death. Apparently..." Robin said slowly.

"What?" Cyborg blinked.

"But...if that was true...then...how?" Starfire asked with confusion. Beast Boy grimaced and seemed to sigh. He was there when Robin told him about it with Raven.

"It's why Orin tried to have her abort the pregnancy. It's also why Sinlus tried to harm her in her dreams. They tried to stop the pregnancy. Of course, they failed," Robin said with a hard frown.

"Robin, I do not understand. The child of death was to be made with two royal Fae Kings and a royal Fae Queen, yes? How is Aelfric to be this?" Starfire asked now. The others fell silent and looked at each other with worried glances. Robin sighed, as Elvey stepped up to help.

" _Starfire, I would like to speak with you privately,_ " he said and gestured to his room.

"Elvey..." Raven warned.

" _She is a princess. I will do no harm to her,_ " Elvey said with complete respect in Robin's tone. That made Raven nod, and Starfire moved into Robin's room. When the door closed, Robin turned to look at her with a hard frown. " _Starfire, Robin is going to marry you. He loves you very much._ "

"And I love Robin!" she said. "Please, Elvey, can you tell me what is going on?"

" _How much do you love Robin?_ " he asked softly. She lost her train of thought, as his hand came up to gently wipe away a tear. She blinked her eyes and trembled.

"I..." she shivered, and he pulled her close to kiss passionately. It was easy to glamour her like this. They may not have to get married now, but he promised Ambrosia that it would happen. He had to keep his promise to her. When he pulled away from her, she gave him a look of despair.  _Did my glamour even work?_ He wasn't sure now.

" _Starfire, I will not touch you again,_ " he said sternly. " _The only time I will touch you is when you are safely married to Robin. You are a princess. The things I would do to you would defile you. As royalty, I know this all too well. Do not expect me to touch you tonight, should you see me. I will be in spirit form, and I doubt I could do much, anyways._ "

"Elvey..." Starfire sighed, but she nodded. "I understand."

" _Now, my son is destined to become the child of death. Aelfric, that is. Robin...slipped when he was comforting Ambrosia. We knew this may have happened. Since Robin is a powerful human, he was 'accepted' by Aelfric. It could also have happened, since I am in Robin, too, but I don't know for sure. However, that is how it happened._ "

"Um...there was something I dreamt of last night," she said with a small frown. "It was of Sinlus. He was at a distance to keep from being tracked by the Tower moon crystals. He...shouted to me that...Robin was no longer mine. I know he is known for lies, but this...felt like a truth..."

" _He did what?!_ " Elvey hissed, and Robin took over. "How far off was he? What direction did he appear from? Do you remember?!"

"Robin..." she said now with concern. "Why are you not telling me if you do or do not belong to me anymore? Do not dodge my question!"

"Star, please, you know how I am with emotions!" he grimaced.

"And you know how I am with mine," she countered.

"I am still yours, Star. You know this."

"But, if Aelfric is going to be the child of death, then clearly you are not mine in full!"

"Star..."

"No! Tell me the truth!" she said.

" _A trade instead..._ " Elvey spoke out with a soft tone, and it caught her up completely. " _I will tell you what you want to know. However, you will not lose your love for Robin. With my trade...I will see about giving you a kiss in my spirit form. Will that suffice?_ "

"Why would I lose my love for Robin? But...I do understand. Very well. I accept the trade," she nodded. Elvey had Robin move close to whisper softly in her ear about how Robin gave himself to Ambrosia. She paled at first, but then realized she had agreed to not lose her love for him. Then she remembered that she would be getting a kiss from Elvey's spirit form. That had her excited.

" _So...now you know everything..._ " he said, as he drew back.

"I have a question," she said. "For Elvey."

" _I may have an answer,_ " he nodded.

"Since Robin belongs to Ambrosia, I would like to belong to you."

" _Ah...that is not possible. I am in spirit only. It would not work._ "

"But how are we to fix this, then?"

" _When you get married, you could belong to me, in a sense,_ " he mused. " _I'll still likely be in Robin's body. As his wife, you would always be at his side. It would be the same for me._ "

"Oh!" she blinked at this.

" _So, in that sense, it could work. You would still be with Robin, and I could be with you, too. But, I cannot be with you physically without Robin's help. However, if you will still marry Robin and love him as he loves you, then I will see what I can do for you._ "

"I have already accepted the terms," she smiled. He pulled her into a hug, and she found herself sighing with contentment. Robin was just in shock that Elvey glamoured her and it didn't take full effect. The only thing they could think of was that she wasn't a human, and it affected her by calming her down. Giving a mental nod to each other, Robin took over to kiss her hard. Starfire was a bit taken aback by it at first before she gave in. When he pulled back, they clung to each other, and she sighed.

"Let's see what we have to do today, okay? Later tonight, we'll have to go to Stonehenge. Until then, we'll remain calm and know that everything will be fine," he smiled. She nodded and kissed him again before walking out with him. The others had already moved out to do what they wanted to do. As he moved to the main room, he blinked and shook his head. Then he gasped with shock.

"Robin?!" Starfire gasped. "Are you having a fit?"

"No! It's Ambrosia!" he said, as he tried to recollect his thoughts.

"What is wrong?" she frowned.

"My Queen..." Robin muttered and trembled. His voice was low enough that Starfire missed it. "I need to go to her! Aelfric is driving her mad with the need to see me!"

"Go!" Starfire nodded.

"Come with me," Robin said. She blushed at this and nodded. He teleported them both to Jericho's castle, and he ran with her to the bedroom.

"Starfire?" Jericho frowned, as he saw her.

"I asked her to come here," Robin said. He thought and nodded, as he was mentally informed.

"Very well. So, she knows?" he asked.

"Yes," Robin nodded and moved to Ambrosia's side. Her pregnancy was quite apparent now, and he carefully ran a hand over her belly to soothe the growing child. "Easy there. I'm here."

Starfire watched with concern at first before remembering what he told her.  _Aelfric saw Robin as a father now and needed him close at times._ Ambrosia was lying back with relief, and she looked over when Cyborg was let into the room.

"Yo, Robin," he said, as he moved in. "Ah, is this a bad time?"

"No. Remember how I said that Aelfric causes Ambrosia stress when I'm not around?"

"Ooh!" he blinked. "Okay. Anyways, I got some good news and some bad news."

"What's the bad news?" Robin asked first.

"We just got a report from Tamaran. Blackfire got out of prison," he growled. Starfire gasped.

"If she tries anything..." Robin snarled out, but Ambrosia stopped him.

"Robin, remember. If she was touched by the Unseelie Court, she cannot attack us if she tried. The Court will force any and all that are attached to them to bend to their will," she smiled.

"So true!" Jericho grinned.

"I should confront my sister!" Starfire glowered.

"No. Let her come to us. We must go to Stonehenge. We will not be alone," Ambrosia said gently. "Many of the old Fae blood will be there to help thwart her."

"Oh!" Starfire blinked and smiled happily.  _Elvey would help protect me, too._

"What was the good news?" Robin asked now.

"I got my rotating moon crystal cylinder to work! Wanna watch what it does?!" Cyborg grinned.

"Very interesting!" Jericho chuckled and now watched how large moon crystals could rotate to do various amounts of damage. "Hmm. You don't know how to use moon crystals, though. This could be very dangerous, you know."

"Seriously?" Cyborg frowned.

"Yes. If they are fully charged, and one of them cracks, you'll be in trouble," he said with a nod. "I can teach you how to use the moon crystals. But, you may need to learn the language of the Fae. I think the site has various versions of it for you to download and learn."

"I'll do that now. I got my account set up, and I'll make good use of it," Cyborg said, as he turned to leave. "Um, what do I do after I learn the language?"

"Ask Raven to give you a book on basic moon crystal usage," he said. Cyborg nodded with a wink and moved out of the room.

"My sister is free," Starfire cringed.

"You beat her up before. You can beat her up again," Robin smiled.

"But, she cannot attack us until her time is near," Ambrosia nodded. Her belly rumbled, and she winced. She was clearly famished now.

"Here, love," Jericho chuckled and fed her some honey.

"I need more," she blinked. He frowned at that, but gave her more. It still wasn't enough. She took the jar from him and started to eat at an alarming rate. She had to conjure up a spoon when her fingers weren't doing the job. Once the jar was empty, she sighed and lay back on the pillows.

"Is that the highly concentrated honey?!" Robin gaped.

"It is!" Jericho grimaced. "This must be another side effect from Aelfric. He drains her so much that she needs to eat far more than normal."

"I see," Robin nodded. "What do we do in the meantime? Considering that it's daylight here and nightfall in the city, I'm not sure what we can do for right now. Normally, we'd all be sleeping more. Our sleep schedules have really been messed up!"

"Catch up on more sleep?" Jericho chuckled. "May be the only way to fix it."

"Sleep is good," Starfire smiled.

"Then sleep it is," Robin nodded. Then he blinked at his communicator, and he answered it as a phone. "This is Robin! Oh! Um...really? You want to talk? I...okay. When? Now? Your office?! But...all right. I'll be there. Bye. Wonderful..."

"He wants to talk to you now? Well, it would be after his building hours are open," Jericho sighed at Robin's thoughts. "You know what would happen, if Ambrosia needs you."

"I know. Starfire? Um, I have a very important meeting to attend to. I can't bring you with me. I can take you back to the Tower, but I have to do this meeting alone. It's about funding for the Tower," Robin said carefully. At that, she nodded. She knew that, when it came to Earth money, he had to do things a special way, and she made no complaints about it.

"Be careful, Robin," Ambrosia smiled.

"I will be. Don't worry," he chuckled. He moved to Starfire to kiss her gently and teleported with her back to the Tower. "Okay, Star. I should be back quickly. If not, I know I'll be there at the Ireland castle. Elvey will make sure of it. Don't worry about your sister. Jericho is keeping a good watch on everything and will alert me if something happens. Rest well."

"Okay, Robin," she smiled, and he hugged her tight. Right when she went into her room, Robin moved to find Cyborg talking to Raven.

"Guys, I was called in for a financial meeting. If I'm not back here soon, I'll be in Ireland," he said. That made them blink, but they nodded. Beast Boy would be informed later. With that said, Elvey made sure he had a couple small pouches of moon crystals on him. His pendant was hidden, and he detected nothing from Ambrosia. He could sense she was sleeping. Smiling softly now, he moved to the garage and hopped on his bike. Elvey was intrigued with the vehicle, and Robin mentally explained to him how it worked. As Robin drove the bike, Elvey was enjoying his crash course in human technology. His destination was Wayne Enterprises, a single massive building surrounded by small parks.

There was a special way in, and that was driving up the building. Angling the speed and precision of the bike was much easier now with his honed senses. He could have tried to teleport here, but he didn't want to give away too much about his new lifestyle. He knew his benefactor wouldn't understand.  _At least, right away._ Elvey was anxious to meet this one, too, and could hardly contain himself with small giggles, as the bike swerved to a stop on the roof. Whistling softly to himself, he got off the bike and punched in a code in a hidden panel door. The secret elevator opened, and he stepped in. It took him to a long hallway, and that led him to an elaborate office. He stepped inside the unlocked door to nod to the tall, broad, man sitting behind the desk. The door was closed and locked shortly after.

"Robin. Good to see you," the man said with a pleasantly deep voice. His black hair was neatly swept back to expose a clean-shaven, chiseled face. His skin was pale, but his eyes were black.

"Same," Robin nodded.

"How is your funding?"

"It's fine. I still have plenty left over from what you gave me last time. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I understand you have a new Titan?"

"Yes! There is a new Titan. Her name is Ambrosia."

"I would like to meet her. I heard that she cured animals from the local zoo and even has power over plants. Is this true?"

"Yeah. It is. How did you learn about the zoo?!" Robin blinked.

"You know me. I have my connections," he chuckled.

"I understand, Mr. Wayne, but why do you want to meet Ambrosia?"

"Hmm. You normally aren't so protective over another Titan. Care to explain?"

"Well...she's pregnant."

"Is she?!"

"Yes. We don't like to cause her too much stress. She's much older than she appears, you see."

"How old are we talking about?"

" _Over a thousand years old,_ " Elvey said, as he came out. Robin's stance changed completely with his demeanor, and now a rather fatherly, protective look came from him. " _Sorry to interrupt, Robin, but I must intervene when it comes to my daughter being spoken about in such a fashion. Mister Bruce Wayne, I presume? I am Elvey. I used to be King Elvey of the Southern Fae Realms before I died long ago. Yes, you heard me. I said Fae. As in Fairies and magic. If you don't believe me, I have proof. Don't worry about Robin. I am an older brother to him, and we respect each other. He is helping me gain vengeance on the one that forced me to kill myself long ago. Needless to say, it was a mistake._ "

"Have you possessed him?! And how do you know who I am? What's going on?!" Bruce growled. "If you have hurt him in any way..."

" _I have not. I am training him on how to use the old magic before it kills him. There is a lot I need to tell you. Do you have time?_ " he asked. He glanced out a window to see it was still nightfall, but dawn was just around the bend.

"All night. Start talking," Bruce muttered. Robin pulled up a chair, sat down, and looked completely relaxed. As he was about to start, he gasped and doubled over.

" _Not now! Anything but now!_ " he grimaced, as a fit started. " _Don't help him! He has to fight this off or it will hurt him! Please!_ "

"Robin!" Jericho said, as he appeared with Ambrosia. "She started craving to see you, and...aw, hell! Fight through it!"

"Robin..." Ambrosia frowned and sighed. Bruce now stared at her. She was wearing a heavy sleeping gown of deep blue that matched her eyes with perfection. Her cheeks were lightly rosy from the sleep she woke from, and she looked absolutely charming with the concern she held on her face.  _I have never seen such a lovely girl in all my life!_  He saw the crown she wore and the crown that Jericho wore. Then he noticed her pointed ears. Robin coughed and stood up carefully after he fought through it.

"Ugh..." he muttered and found Ambrosia moving to hug him tightly. He hugged her back and sighed. "When did you wake up? I was in a meeting. Then again, he wanted to see you..."

"He did?" she blinked. "Why?"

"Ambrosia is my wife, and a Queen of the Fae. She is known as a Fae of the Moon, since most of her magic works on moonlit nights. You know me as Jericho, but, as her husband, I am now a King of the Fae with the same properties of magic as her. Our crowns are soul-mated and alive. Robin, why did Elvey talk to him? I thought you were going to keep him secret," Jericho frowned.

" _He started questioning Ambrosia, brother. I refuse to idly sit and listen,_ " Elvey growled out in Robin's lighter tone. " _And he is apparently fascinated with her._ "

" _As most humans would be,_ " Tintagel muttered, as he came out through Jericho. " _Sir, I am King Tintagel, Ambrosia's other father. Yes, she has two fathers. Her mother, Queen Esmiralda, resides in her mind, too. We were all unjustly killed in the past. We will give you all of the information you need._ "

"Are you for real?!" Bruce frowned, as his mind finally came back to the present.

" _Very,_ " Robin grinned with a soft chuckle. That made the man's brows rise up with alarm. He actually felt challenged with that chuckle. For the better part of two hours, Bruce was informed of what happened. Ambrosia was seated between Jericho and Robin to keep her growing baby pleased. Only after the man was fully brought up to date was he actually thoughtful.

"So, this Sinlus guy may be calling various enemies to arms?" he asked carefully.

" _Yes. Eleven centuries in that box for eleven tests to be done on the Titans,_ " Jericho nodded.

"And she was trapped in it for that long? Everyone died on what was her birthday and wedding day? That's...wow..." he frowned.

" _I could show you a few visions. Things that Robin has seen and felt, if you like? It's very basic magic and won't hurt him at all. You won't be hurt by it, either. Want to try it and see for yourself?_ " Elvey asked. Bruce seemed to hesitate, but he nodded. Robin pulled out a small, light blue moon crystal and focused on it before tossing it to him. The moment it was caught, the man gasped with wide eyes. Now everything Robin had experienced, he experienced. The first sight of Ambrosia. The sight of her home. The rebuilding that was done. The meeting with other Fae. The discovery of the old hill. All of it was now given to him in short bursts, and Robin nodded. When it was done, the moon crystal shattered harmlessly in his hand, and he was trembling while his mind started to sort over what he saw.

"Incredible..." Bruce winced when it was over. "Give me a moment..."

" _Take all the time you need,_ " Robin nodded. " _No rush._ "

"Robin?" Ambrosia frowned.

_:My Queen? What is wrong?:_  he asked and glanced at her.

_:Why did he want to meet me? That makes no sense!:_

_:You're right. We'll find out in a moment, my Queen.:_

_:I love you, Robin.:_

_:I love you, too, my Queen.:_  he smiled, and they shared a mental kiss. He ran a hand over her belly slowly, and she sighed, as she leaned into Jericho's supporting embrace. Now Bruce began to wonder why his protégé was so protective over her, and he had an idea.

"Robin," Bruce said slowly, as he watched him. "is that kid yours?"

"Partially," he nodded. "Jericho?"

"Right. I'll tell him," Jericho sighed. He told him of the ancient Fae legend. Bruce was floored.

" _As Ambrosia is life, her child will be death,_ " Elvey said softly. " _Robin gave himself fully to Ambrosia. He is 'her human', in a way. It's what he wanted to do. We gave him warnings, but he felt it was needed to get stronger. To become a better leader. Yes, it gave him some handicaps, but what doesn't? Anyways, Robin is human, but not human now._ "

"Is it really what you wanted, Robin?" Bruce asked.

"It is. I have no regrets," Robin smiled and shrugged. "I still lead the Titans. They all respect me, and I have been assisting in making them stronger and becoming better defenders for the human race as a whole. But, there's something that has been bothering me now."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Why are you interested in Ambrosia? You were never interested in the other Titans before," Robin asked. "That makes no sense to me."

"Well..." he seemed to shrug.

" _Tell me before you piss me off,_ " Elvey said softly.

" _Brother, stop it. But, you did bring up a valid point,_ " Jericho sighed, as Tintagel mused. "What do you find fascinating about my wife?"

"If you must know," Bruce said, as he stood up to look out the window over the small city. "it's her beauty. More than that...her as a whole. You gave me the whole story, but I feel there's more."

"There is always more," Ambrosia sighed in her tinkling voice, and now he turned to face her. "Tonight, where my castle in Ireland is, I plan to go to Stonehenge. It may not be in Ireland, but it is in the same part of the world, in a sense. The moon will be at its full peak there. Powerful ley lines will give me intense Fae energy focus. I plan to have both of my Fathers and my Mother to appear in spirit form within the circle of stones. I also know that we may be confronted. If you would like to meet them outside of our physical bodies, then that would be one of the few times to do so. I will be weak and could use all of the protection I could get."

"Ambrosia, are you sure you would want him to be there?" Robin asked.

"We can bring him to our home and have him sign the treaty to form an alliance with us," she smiled. "This way he will be able to study on our knowledge, and we can assist him when he needs it."

"That would be the only way," Jericho nodded. "What do you think?"

"An alliance? With fairy creatures? Um...well, I've signed contracts with stranger people, I guess," Bruce chuckled. "All right. I'm game."

" _Let me leave a couple moon crystals here. Jericho can see through them. So, if you need help with something, he has over a thousand years of advice to give,_ " Robin smirked. " _No one will see them. If you need us more directly, you can talk into it, and he'll hear you, too._ "

"Really?!" Bruce blinked. "Hmm. If that's the case, I know of a few places I could put those. If anything odd is heard, you'd inform me?"

"Definitely. Sign our treaty first, though," Jericho nodded. Robin handed over a small pouch of tiny moon crystals that were lightly charged. Ambrosia was helped to stand next, and she looked over at Bruce with a soft smile of appreciation.

"Is something wrong?" Bruce asked, as he pocketed the moon crystals.

"Quite the opposite. I just...wanted to thank you. For caring for Robin when he needed it. He really looks up to you and respects you to no end. Thank you for being there for him when he needed you most. He is a remarkable human being," she smiled.

"In truth, it was my fault he ended up that way. Considering that his family was the victim of one of my villains. But...you're welcome. For what it's worth," Bruce nodded with his own smile. "Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy. Aelfric. Remember?" Jericho chuckled.

"That's right," Bruce nodded.

"I need to take the bike back to the Tower. It's almost daybreak. I'll meet up with you at the castle. Oh, we gained a grove and named it Titan's Grove. There's a castle under the hill there. I'll show it to you sometime," Robin chuckled. "It's not impressive, but it's nice."

"Show it to me after Stonehenge," Bruce said. "But, I am curious of something."

"What's that?" he asked.

"How did you become her human?" Bruce asked with a light smile.

"I gave her my blood, and she gave me hers in turn. No. Don't think about it. It's like drinking acid, and I barely survived it," Robin warned before the older man got any thoughts. "Yes, my senses are honed to an inhuman level. I can hear the wireless transmissions from your phone up-linking to the satellite in space. It's crazy. I can also hear your computer getting ready to shut down."

"What?!" Bruce gaped, as his computer shut down into a sleep mode. "How?"

"Her blood," Robin said with a soft smile. "Needless to say, I am exceptionally deadly now."

"Robin, don't gloat," Ambrosia said with a soft frown. "You are not yourself when you gloat."

"I wasn't gloating!" Robin said with a humoring gleam in his eye. She gave him a look that made him start laughing. Then he started coughing, and Jericho scowled at him.

"When's the last time you got your fix?" he asked.

"It was before I came here! Wasn't it?" Robin frowned before shaking his head from the need for Ambrosia's nectar. "Wait. I had the fit. So..."

"Come here," Ambrosia smiled. Robin sighed and moved to kiss her deeply and swallow down the nectar his body needed. Bruce saw this with a bit of shock.

"Like her name says, she has the ability to produce life healing nectar. The only way to get it is by kissing her. Robin is addicted to it, because his body is trying to create a well of magic within him. It's there, but a slow trickle right now. If Elvey wasn't able to help him, it could have killed him. Robin isn't supposed to even have magic, but he does. Ambrosia's nectar did it," Jericho said.

"He's addicted to her?" Bruce frowned.

"Yes. She tried to leave his life at one point. He couldn't let her. He still loves Starfire, and she loves him, too. They do still plan to get married. Starfire just recently learned quite a bit about this. We're still very careful with her. If Robin didn't become Ambrosia's human, Aelfric would simply have been reborn. Maybe it was best this way. My son will know what he needs to do and will know to use his powers for justice instead of folly. It actually seems to be better than I could have hoped," he smiled.

"Better?" Ambrosia smiled.

"Yeah. I'll need to refill my vials again, but I'm good," Robin smiled.

"Vials?" Bruce asked. In response, Robin took out a vial of glowing, golden liquid to show him.

"This is the nectar she creates. I can kiss her and spit out what she gives me to put in the vials. Two of them satisfy my craving to an extent. Four keeps me going even longer. It drains her to harvest the nectar. She can do healing, though. Normal healing. So, if you have any old aches and pains, let her know. She'll help you get rid of them," Robin chuckled.

"Well, I did have a back issue earlier in the week. My masseuse worked out most of it, but it's still there," Bruce said with a shrug. Ambrosia moved to examine the older man's back and placed her hands on his spine as though to search for the pain. Her crown flared out blue to show healing was taking place, and he gaped with shock at the sudden flood of warmth that seemed to push through him to his core. When the warmth dissipated, most of the pains were taken with it.

"You had quite a few problems. They should be gone now!" she beamed.

"I haven't felt this good in years!" he admitted, as he tested his limbs. "Amazing!"

"Keep it a secret, please," Jericho warned. "We need you to sign our treaty."

"What's that sound?" she whispered and turned her head to the door. Someone was approaching.

"What sound?" Bruce frowned. The other three could hear the intruder easily.

" _Were you expecting anyone?_ " Robin asked, as Elvey came out. " _If not, you'd better hide. Tintagel, turn off the lights? Let's make a welcoming party!_ "

" _Bruce, be so kind as to hold Queen Ambrosia and keep her safe. Just make sure she can see us, or you'll be in danger of her,_ " Jericho warned. " _Just stay in that back corner and out of sight._ "

"In danger of her?" Bruce frowned.

" _Trust me,_ " Jericho said. That made the man nod. Too much happened so far for him to not trust Jericho. Robin now watched his brother dim the lights to practically nothing. Bruce kept Ambrosia at his side and seemed to blink at how she leaned into him now.  _She was exhausted._  He felt the small kicks being done against his hip from the growing baby, and he actually felt a bit of a grandfatherly feel towards her now. He put a rather protective arm around her and pulled out a set of glasses that were enhanced with night vision. Robin gave a small nod to him and returned his attention to the door.

"This has to be his office! Lights are out and no one's home!" a hissing voice seemed to snicker out from behind the door. The lock seemed to start jiggling with lock picks, and the door soon opened. Bruce never bothered to upgrade to electronic locks. He tended to lock himself out of his office on more than one occasion. The man who walked in looked like someone dressed up to be a janitor. Robin now cracked a grin and pushed out his pole to trip the man to the ground. At his outraged shout, Jericho turned on the lights, and now the man was staring at Robin's diabolical grin.

"You're a Fae. Interesting," Robin mused.

"What?" Bruce frowned.

"That's right. You can't tell the difference. Run your hands through Ambrosia's hair carefully. See if a strand will come out. Don't force it, or you'll hurt her! Just work your hands through her hair carefully, all right?" Jericho sighed. "You really need to sign that treaty..."

"And I will," Bruce nodded and ran a finger through one of Ambrosia's silver-tinted golden locks that framed her face. Robin watched Jericho move over to her to go for one of the longer locks of hair.

"There we are," Jericho smiled at a six foot strand that clung to him. He bundled it among itself carefully. "Put this in your pocket. Keep it on you at all times! You don't have to wear it. Just keep it on your person. Good. Now look at the man."

"Okay. His ears are longer," Bruce frowned, as he saw the difference now. "And that hair smells like honey! Am I going crazy?"

" _Nope! That's normal!_ " Robin seemed to giggle, as Elvey came out. " _Well, well, weak little Fae! What brings you to this man's office, hmm? Obviously not here for an appointment!_ "

" _Elvey, he stinks of Unseelie!_ " Jericho hissed. " _You are tied with Sinlus!_ "

"What of it?! I was told to get that human against you!" the Fae man snarled.

" _In exchange for your soul? Idiot,_ " Elvey frowned. " _Are you sure it was this man?_ "

"Aye! I was told to find the powerful man, Slade!" the Fae man growled.

" _Wrong man. Idiot,_ " Elvey grinned wickedly. " _This is_  Wayne Enterprises _! This is the CEO of this building! What makes you think he was Slade?!_ "

"Well...that man always went after buildings like this..." the Fae man cringed now.

" _Do you want to take him over to learn more?_ " he asked Jericho.

" _I should, but I won't. Just kill him,_ " Tintagel growled.

"Why?" Ambrosia frowned.

" _Ah. That's right._  Ambrosia, love, come to me," Jericho smiled, as Tintagel stepped down. She moved from Bruce's side to her husband, and he hugged her tight. "He's from the Unseelie. He'll spy on us. We can't let them know that they lost just yet."

"They already know, love. The moment you pinned him down, they knew. What would be the difference if he lives or dies?" she frowned. That made Jericho wince, and Robin grimaced. Then she thought, and she stood away from him for her armor to cover her. Then she glared down at the Fae man with disgust, as she took her sword off her back. Bruce was staring with shock all over again.

"Ambrosia?" Robin asked with a small grin.

"Deliver a message for me!" Ambrosia snapped at the man.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" he cringed, as her crown sparked blue with anger.

"Tell the Unseelie Court that, if I am harmed under  _any_  circumstance, my husband's soul-mated crown will hunt them down without mercy!" she hissed. His eyes went bleak, as the message was sent.

"A soul-mated crown..." the Fae man gasped. Then he screamed, as his body contorted in pain when the Unseelie Court peered through his eyes to speak through him. The multiple voices came out softly, and Bruce was horrified at the sheer amount of evil that leaked from the man now.

_"Your warning is grave!"_

_"We hear you! So brave!"_

_"The innocent Queen!"_

_"Now she is so mean!"_

_"So deadly and angered!"_

_"We feel so endangered!"_

_"Your body untouched..."_

_"The babe is safe, much!"_

_"Oh, we fear the crowns!"_

_"Don't look at our frowns!"_

"Her warning is to be a permanent reminder," Jericho growled out. "If  _anything_  happens to her or my son during these tests or outside of them, I  _will_ slaughter all of you!"

As though to strengthen the warning, both crowns shimmered blue to enhance their joined anger. The man seemed to twitch with knowing fear. The Unseelie Court was there to witness the wrath of a soul-mated crown.  _The warning would be heeded in full._

"And, if you dare to separate either myself, King Jericho, or Queen Ambrosia from each other, I will take up their vengeance!" Robin hissed. That made the man pause, as the Court seemed confused. "I can tell you a secret, but Sinlus must never know. Think of it as a test for him?"

_"A test for the tester?!"_

_"You wonderful jester!"_

_"For this secret we tow..."_

_"We won't let Sinlus know!"_

At this, Robin took out Elvey's pendant, and it winked out with a form of haughty laughter. Now the Court within the Fae man went speechless. Absolutely speechless.  _Elvey lived again._  The Court would have to keep the promise of keeping the knowledge from Sinlus, and it was going to be enjoyable to the Court. Then Jericho made a noise that Tintagel normally made. Ambrosia made a light giggling chuckle. Now the Unseelie Court knew the three they feared most had come back, and the one they used as a trump card could not be used until the time was right.

"Don't piss us off. Heed our warning. If you go against your vow, I will call Judgment on the lot of you!" Jericho growled. "Now get your slave out of this building and out of my sight!"

_"We will honor our treaty."_

_"The servant is weakly."_

_"Now he will be gone!"_

_"But for how long?"_

"For as long as needed. Which means until the tests are to start," Ambrosia said grimly. The Fae man seemed to shout, as the Court left his mind, and he got up to run out of the room.

"Explain?!" Bruce demanded, as the evil presence left.

" _What you felt was the Unseelie Court. An evil that has been here...probably since the dawn of time,_ " Elvey sighed. " _We know how to block them, but only for so long. We'll explain more later._ "

"We'll need moon crystals on this building somewhere," Jericho muttered.

" _At least in the office,_ " Robin agreed. Ambrosia changed back into her nightgown of deep blue, and Jericho hugged her to him again. He kissed her fiercely and sighed that she was all right.

"Let's take him to the treaty," Jericho smiled.

"Let Robin do that," she murmured, and he gave a bit of a wicked smile at her.

"Yeah. You take her to bed. I'll take him to the treaty," Robin agreed. Bruce found himself blushing a bit. "Oh. I need to get my bike back to the Tower."

"Fine. I'll take him to the treaty. You'd better hurry up!" Jericho scowled. Ambrosia giggled softly and let Robin hug her tight.

"Don't make me wait for you," she whispered softly.

"Of course not, my Queen," Robin said with a soft sigh.

"You called her...?" Bruce started.

"I'm her human. It's natural for me to say it," Robin explained. He kissed her softly and forced himself away from her. He needed more than just her nectar, and she could only smile knowingly.

"We'll see you to your bike," Jericho smiled, as he took her back into his arms.

"So, how are we going to get to Ireland without transportation?" Bruce asked.

"I can teleport us," Jericho chuckled. "It's how I got here, after all."

"Right," he said with a small sigh. They all moved into the elevator, and Ambrosia gave out a startled squeak when it moved. She had never been in an elevator before, and Jericho comforted her gently. Robin found himself laughing softly at it. When they got up to the roof, dawn was starting to appear. She gave a light sigh, but Jericho hugged her. She blushed softly and knew she was safe. Robin moved to get on the bike, and now Ambrosia looked at him curiously.

"Um, I don't know if you should ride with me," Robin chuckled.

"Jericho, dear, I want to ride with Robin," she said with a small pout.

"Love, we need to get back home," Jericho said gently.

"I have never ridden with Robin before!" she said.

"My Queen, you aren't in an outfit suitable for riding," Robin chuckled. Then he gaped, as her outfit became the two-piece red dress that she wore to the night club.

"How about now?" she smirked. Bruce was staring at her with disbelief.  _Her figure was perfection._  Jericho cleared his throat to snap him back into focus.

"My wife!" Jericho growled. "Robin, bring her back the moment you park the bike in the garage! No pausing to chat with the others!"

"Get behind me, and hold on tight!" Robin said sternly. She nodded, wrapped her legs around the back of his waist, and her arms wrapped around his chest. He had to focus on the bike now, and even that was proving difficult. He could sense her excitement in everything. He revved the bike engine to warm it up and peeled off the roof expertly. Jericho nudged Bruce and grabbed his wrist to teleport with him to Titan's Grove. From there they went to the castle in Ireland.

On the bike, Robin was speeding back to the Tower with Ambrosia clinging to him. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, and, when the enticing nibble to his ear was given, he almost lost control of the bike. He drove it off the main road and into the woods. He used his senses to guide him to a safe spot where no one would find them.

"Robin?" Ambrosia asked with a soft smile. He parked the bike between several trees to give them some cover, and she pulled her limbs away from him. Now he turned quickly to grab her and pull her against him to kiss in a needy way. He gave out a sharp groan, and she was no better, since she needed him for comfort. The next few minutes would be filled with their sharp cries and panting gasps for air. She seemed to give out a giggle, as he was stretched out on his bike with her in his embrace when they were sated of each other for the moment. Then she snuggled into him with a worried thought.

"What?" he smiled softly.

"Jericho is going to be quite upset," she sighed.

"No, he won't be mad. He said to bring you back  _after_  the bike was parked in the garage. He said nothing about bringing you back before then," he grinned and kissed her passionately, as he sat up with her. He ran his mouth over her neck and helped fix her clothing back on. Then they both turned as one at the sound of footsteps.

"Humans," she muttered with irritation.

"What do we do, my Queen?" he growled and moved to nip her ear to make her shiver. He still wanted her, and she was starting to want him again.

"Let's have some fun with them," she grinned.

"What do you have in mind?" he smirked. She whispered in his ear, and he had to keep himself from laughing. Asking Elvey for assistance, a mild illusion was placed over them and the sleek bike to look like two hardened biker teens on a rough-looking motorcycle. They began to make out again and were a bit more noisy about it with small giggles and panting groans. At the sharp sound of a gasp and small coughs, they both turned to look at the hiking couple.

"Looks like we're caught," Ambrosia grounded out roughly.

"Like hell we are!" Robin scowled and revved the bike to take off. They were both laughing and sniggering all the way back to the Tower, as the illusions wore off on the road. Just as they reached the Tower, Robin thought and swerved the bike away from it.

"Robin?!" she giggled.

"I still want time alone with you," he grinned.

"Dear, you know that I will need rest soon. With what is going to happen later tonight..."

"I know, my Queen. I just feel that I'm still missing something from you!"

"Really? Hmm. Oh! I did see my Mother do something with King Elvey long ago. When I saw them together. We can try it," she said thoughtfully. He looked at her questionably and veered back to the Tower. He parked the bike in the garage and looked at her. She gestured for his pendant, and he brought it out. She studied it softly and pressed a kiss to it before lowering her head to let her crown touch it. The crown seemed to shimmer with a form of joy, and his pendant was glowing with a form of relief at being recognized at long last. Robin felt himself gasp and shiver with a form of complete and solid contentment. His pendant missed her crown, and it was the same with her crown to his pendant.

" _That's right..._ " Elvey whispered, as he came out. " _My pendant is like a crown. Essi saw me as another life mate. In a sense, Robin is doing the same to you, Ambrosia. Starfire...he loves her. He will marry her, but you are his life mate now._ "

"But..." Ambrosia frowned, as Robin took over and kissed her hard. He didn't want her to argue about this. _I am her human. Her son was a part of me._  They were still sitting on the bike, and he was turned to face her in the seat. At the sound of someone approaching, he broke the kiss and looked over with alarm at who it was.

"Starfire..." he grimaced and recognized her footsteps. Ambrosia was in a very compromising situation with him. Yet, Elvey came out and muttered, " _Essi, help me this once?_ "

" _Very well, Elvey, dear,_ " Esmiralda tinkled, as she came forth from Ambrosia.

" _It has been a long time since my pendant was with your crown,_ " he smiled and kissed her fiercely. At the sudden stop of footsteps and the small, angry gasp of shock, he looked over and sighed.

" _Elvey, dear, I warned you something like this would happen!_ " Esmiralda scolded him.

" _But, Essi..._ " Robin seemed to wince.

" _No! You are still in young Robin's body, and you didn't see reason!_ " she scolded again.

"Oh! You are Elvey and Esmiralda?" Starfire blinked and walked over.

" _Yes,_ " Elvey sighed.

" _He just had to kiss me despite the warnings. I am sorry you saw that,_ " Esmiralda sighed.

"No! It is okay! As long as it is not Robin and friend Ambrosia. Even though, I know that he is her human...and..." she frowned. "well..."

" _It is still hard on you,_ " Esmiralda nodded with understanding and gently pushed Elvey back. " _Let me sit and talk to you. Elvey, let King Jericho and my husband know that I am speaking with Starfire. I do not want them to worry._ "

" _Of course, Essi,_ " Elvey nodded and pulled out a moon crystal to whisper to it.

" _Starfire, come and speak with me,_ " Esmiralda said and moved her daughter's body off the bike. Her two-piece dress became a regal, flowing gown of deep green, as she moved.

"Yes?" Starfire smiled.

" _Tonight, when Elvey comes out of Robin, he will keep his promise to kiss you. However, it will become dangerous, if you aren't careful,_ " she warned.

"Dangerous?"

" _Yes. You remember how he treated you at the gala, right?_ "

"I do."

" _Elvey does desire you. He finds you intriguing and wants to see how much more he can do. However, you must remember. You are a princess! Do you know how babies are created?_ "

"Yes, I do!" Starfire flustered.

" _That is what he will attempt to do with you. Not later on, though. But, he will, eventually. However, that's only if you let him. Yes, he will be within young Robin at the time, but you should marry him first before Elvey does anything else. Do you understand?_ "

"I feel that Robin is lost to me," Starfire frowned.

" _He is not lost, dear Starfire. He knows the path he travels to your heart. He simply has a few new twists and turns. The path to you is still clear. But, now I have a question for you._ "

"I am listening."

" _Do you still love young Robin?_ "

"I do! I just..."

" _Talk to me, dear,_ " Esmiralda smiled warmly. " _I was a mother long ago. In a way, I still am one. Tell me what plagues your mind._ "

"I do love Robin, Esmiralda. I just...I feel that I am becoming attracted to Elvey more," she admitted. "I was warned of the risks. To help me understand what I did not. And, with him being in Robin, I know it may not be so bad."

" _That is true, but you must remember. Every time Elvey kisses a girl, she becomes further and further ensnared in his entrapment. I'll let you in on a little secret!_ " she giggled.

" _Essi, don't you dare!_ " Elvey scowled.

" _Oh, hush up, you old rogue! She deserves to know!_ " Esmiralda scoffed, and Starfire found herself giggling hard. Elvey muttered, but Robin was siding with Esmiralda on this one.

" _Fine. Tell her. No other,_ " Elvey sighed.

" _Good. Starfire, I was actually Elvey's first girl. He had been with no other, but Aethelwyne was the only other exception. Elvey's enthrallment was so intense that he just needed to kiss one girl before they tried to get attached and clingy. He couldn't stand that! He would finally simply disappear from their lives, and they eventually forgot about them. But, if he ever came back to them, they would want him all over again, and it upset him greatly,_ " Esmiralda smiled.

"But, you were strong against him?" Starfire asked.

" _Yes. I was immune to his charms. I think it was from my crown. It 'knew' that Elvey was the one. I think. I'm still unsure. But, normally, Elvey would test a girl by simply doing what he did to you. Run his hand across her cheek to see her reaction. He did that innocently to me, and all I did was thank him for fixing my hair. It shocked him. No other girl in existence was able to be herself around him. Did he fall in love with me? Instantly. It happened within that single moment,_ " she said, as she sighed with the memory. " _He tried to be with me every chance he could get._ "

"But, when Tintagel found out?" Starfire frowned.

" _Is this necessary?_ " Elvey groaned.

" _It is! So, you can shut it!_ " Esmiralda snapped. " _You brought me into this mess, and I'll fix it the way I must! Anyways, young Starfire, it was Tintagel that introduced us at the wedding. He didn't want Elvey to meet me for the fear of me falling for him. My husband wanted me to be safely married to him before any introductions were done. Then you saw the memory that happened at the gala of the Titans. It occurred two months after the wedding happened. That was the first kiss that we shared._ "

"I see," Starfire nodded. "I do remember that."

" _Of course, you do,_ " she chuckled. " _Now, tonight, when we all appear within the stones that make up Stonehenge, remember what I told you. Elvey will kiss you. He may make you feel more enthralled with him than ever before. Just remember that he will not touch you in any other way until you marry young Robin. That will be the only way that everything will be safe._ "

"Um, what of my sister? Of Blackfire?" Starfire frowned.

" _You have my word that I will protect you,_ " Elvey promised. That made her blush, and she nodded happily. " _I need to get to the castle. I'll see you later tonight._ "

"Okay!" she giggled. When she left, he grimaced, and Ambrosia hugged him tight.

"Let's check on the treaty," Ambrosia smiled.

"Yeah," Robin nodded. They kissed passionately, and he let Elvey teleport them to the Ireland castle. Once there, Jericho was waiting for them, and he hugged her tight.

"Are you sure you want to kiss Starfire?" he asked Robin.

" _I vowed,_ " Robin sighed, as Elvey came out.

"And it does make sense why only Mother could touch King Elvey's pendant," she said with a soft frown. "He was also her life mate. It trusted only her."

" _Yes,_ " Elvey said gently. " _And, with Robin gaining it now, it knows that he is your life mate, too. It could only have happened after he became your human. Right after it was done, Robin felt an urge to find it. A need to have it around his neck. That was the pendant reaching out for him. To show that it was ready for him to claim it back._ "

"Three life mates," Jericho sighed and hugged Ambrosia close. "Unheard of. But, that's how it is with us. Darling? What's on your mind?"

"I wish to go into the bedroom with you both. I would like to try something," she said thoughtfully. Robin seemed to gape at what she wanted to try, and Jericho was quick to move her there. Once in the safe confines of the bedroom, Ambrosia looked at them both lovingly.

"We don't know what will happen," Jericho shivered.

"I know," she nodded. He moved to press his crown to hers first. At their happy shimmering, Robin swallowed and took his pendant to add to their crowns. The shimmering got far more intense now. The crowns and the pendant were overjoyed.  _The three were truly united at last._

"Incredible!" Jericho breathed. "How could we have forgotten this?!"

"So much was going on. We let this pass us by," Ambrosia sighed with a form of relief.

"This is how we will call forth Elvey, Tintagel, and Esmiralda. Isn't it?" Robin asked.

"Yes," she smiled. "Robin, I do believe that the pendant does hold King Elvey's soul."

"Elvey suspected it, too," he nodded. "He told me that it was possible. When I gained his memories, it was enough for him to come through me. To show that he was alive. But, it was his pendant that absorbed what was left of his energy. Much like the crowns when they got torn away or forced to see their owners die. Now the three of us are truly soul-mated together. Not just through our crowns and my pendant. Not only through our son. But fully. As of right now. Or am I wrong?"

"You're right," she smiled.

"That you are," Jericho chuckled. They pulled away from each other, and she kissed each of them in turn. She truly did love them both equally.  _They are my life mates._

"What's been going on with Mr. Wayne?" Robin asked, as he hugged her.

"He signed the treaty. Apparently, Warren and Ealdun are clients of his. He's surprised," Jericho grinned merrily. "They're discussing business in a secured room."

"Shall we see them?" Robin asked. Ambrosia giggled, and they led her out of the room. Jericho led them down a hall and knocked on the door to show they were walking in.

"King Jericho!" Ealdun chuckled and moved to shake his hand warmly.

"King Ealdun. King Warren," Jericho nodded to them both. "How goes it?"

"Not bad. Just seeing what we can do to aid a bit of expansion to various buildings," Warren chuckled. "How is everything? The three of you look a bit better."

"Was there anything said of three life mates?" Robin asked slowly.

"Three?!" Ealdun blinked. "No. Only two. Why?"

"Apparently, Jericho and I are life mates to Ambrosia. The same was done with Elvey and Tintagel to Esmiralda. It's how it was possible to create Ambrosia, you see?" Robin said.

"All of this is going way over my head!" Bruce sighed.

"And it would explain Aelfric's rebirth, too!" Warren though aloud.

"Speaking of which," Jericho sighed and told them the latest news about what his son was to be. This floored the older Fae. When it was explained as to how Aelfric would already know to be just and good, it relieved the older Fae immensely.

"Regardless, he will be protected," Ealdun nodded.

"After tonight, I'll have to jump on a plane back to Gotham. I was only out here to survey some current work. I think I'll keep what I see tonight to myself," Bruce smiled.

"That would be best," Ambrosia nodded. "Not many would understand."

"You should stop by my home some time. I'll let you know when I have some free time," he said. "Rare as it is, but it would be nice."

"We can arrange that. Teleportation can be done easily. Leave a moon crystal by your front door. We can find your house with that," Jericho nodded. Ambrosia smiled, and then she blushed at the kicking she got. Robin and Jericho both put their hands on her belly to give fatherly smiles. Bruce was allowed to feel the happy kicks next.

"I should post some sentries to protect my grandson. Since that is what he is to me," Bruce muttered. "I won't breathe a word of his existence."

"Wise words," Jericho agreed. "Anyways, we have some time to kill before the moon rises. Feel free to explore the grounds. If you want extra moon crystals, or jewelry, talk to Cyborg and Herald."

"I'll do that," Bruce nodded. "You know, it would be a profitable market for them. They can be known as a form of rare crystals and be easily dispersed among the populace."

" _Hmm,_ " Jericho thought, as Tintagel emerged. " _I think you're onto something! Easier for me to see what goes on in the world of humans, as well as the Fae. If something is happening that we don't approve of, we will know firsthand, and I can inform those that need to know._ "

"Our own little security system," Bruce grinned.

"Won't it tax you?" Ealdun frowned.

" _My friend, remember. Back in the day, hundreds of thousands of crystals were made. I had no issues then. I doubt I'll have issues now,_ " he smirked. That had Ealdun grinning.

"Oh, there is something that concerns me," Warren said. "Do you have true followers? Other than the Titans here? Any people?"

"No," Ambrosia said with a small frown. "Sinlus killed them all."

"I'll spread word to those that wish to become your people. To live here and at Elvey's restored home to help safeguard it," Warren nodded. "How can one be a royal couple without people to lead?"

"It's true," Jericho nodded. "We have titles. That's it."

"We know you both are trustworthy. A hill was restored. A way to finally get the Unseelie Court off our backs is underway. We are allied. We will help each other," Ealdun smiled.

"And to have a group like the Titans to assist us? We would be fools not to try anything!" Warren grinned. Robin chuckled and gave his own nod.

"As it is, if you know any that wish to become a Titan, a protector for all, I would not mind speaking with anyone. We are always looking for new recruits," Robin said.

"I may know of a few," Ealdun nodded.

"As do I!" Warren blinked. "We'll bring them to Stonehenge tonight."

"Excellent!" Robin grinned.

"We have another two hours before the moon shows itself. Then we will all start to gather. Darling? Was there anything you wanted to wear?" Jericho asked.

"I think our wedding clothes will be needed," Ambrosia smiled. He nodded and Warren thought.

"Do you have a steed? Other than Beast Boy?" the old King asked.

"We have a zebra filly, but she is too young," Robin said. "She has yet to be broken to riding."

"There are still Elven horses being bred, you know," Ealdun chuckled. Now Ambrosia gasped with delight, and Jericho made plans to have Beast Boy encounter one of them. They could even see about have a few of them brought to Stonehenge. The time was drawing close to get there.

"We need to get there now. We have some preparations that we need to do," she said.

"I'll contact Herald. I'm sure he's aware of what needs to be done," Jericho nodded.

"No need. Beast Boy is helping us," Ambrosia giggled. Robin smiled and sighed at the caress to his cheek. He felt deliriously happy now. It was something he never thought he'd ever feel.

"Thanks," Robin muttered to the mental pat on the back that Elvey did. He looked up to see his benefactor walking over to them with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Okay, so what's going to happen at Stonehenge?" the man asked.

"My three parents will be summoned to meet everyone in spiritual form. However, they will be confined within the circle of stones. Also, Starfire may be confronted by her sister, Blackfire. We are not to do a thing. I am sure that the Unseelie Court has her bound. I don't believe she knows it yet," Ambrosia said with a light shrug. "Keep my hair on you at all times. It will protect you."

"I'll do that," he promised. "I have a watch that has a secret compartment. Can I put it in there?"

"Yeah. Do that," Robin nodded. "Just remember to wear the watch."

"I always do," he grinned and revealed the watch he was wearing. The top of it flicked open, and the hair was transferred from his pocket to the watch. When it was secured, he nodded. He always wore the watch. Now it would become a permanent part of his wardrobe.

"Ambrosia and I need to change clothes. Robin, gather the others to meet at Stonehenge. We'll teleport to you," Jericho nodded. They clasped hands, and Ambrosia was escorted away.

"Can't she change into different clothing? Like her armor?" Bruce asked.

"Her wedding dress is different. It's all moon crystals, and it's an heirloom from her mother," Robin said, as they walked into the main meeting room of the castle. "She prefers to wear the original piece. It's one thing to see it in memories. It's another to see it in reality."

"I'll remember that," he smiled. "So...you're happy with everything?"

"Like I told you before," Robin sighed with a soft smile. "I have no regrets on anything."

"Good. Because, if you did, I'd backhand you for being an idiot," he muttered. Robin started laughing, as Elvey could only agree in full with him.

" _I already had that talk with him,_ " Elvey murmured softly. " _I punish him enough with his training. You can believe that._ "

"How do you train him? Huh? Where did you go?!" Bruce blinked. Then he paused in shock at how Robin simply reappeared on the other side of him. He made no sound or odd movements.

" _The body movements of the Fae are legendary. You would never know if one is walking around you. That's why the hair will protect you,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _I'm sure you've heard of Slade?_ "

"Who hasn't?" he growled. He was clearly unnerved now.

" _If he has to be fought, he will lose,_ " Elvey grinned with Robin's chuckle.

"I can see that happening. But, I am very curious of something," Bruce admitted.

" _Of what?_ "

"How much pain did you go through in becoming Ambrosia's human?"

"That pain..." he trembled visibly. "I was being broiled from the inside out. My heart almost failed. I couldn't breathe. It was the most...excruciating pain I ever felt. Worse than a limb being pulled from the socket. It's probably ten times worse than anything you've ever felt. Three swallows of Fae blood. The rewards are immense...but you swallow acid. It feels just like that."

"Is that so?" Bruce frowned. "Hmm..."

" _Don't even think about it!_ " Elvey hissed out, as Robin's pole suddenly snapped out in front of him. " _You will regret the decision! I know this! My daughter can only have one human! If she consumes anymore human blood, it will harm her!_ "

"I wasn't planning on it!" Bruce argued.

" _But, you were going to ask her. I know this!_ " he countered. " _You gave the same look that other humans have done. The curiosity factor is there. The want to know is strong. If you want to feel the pain, then I can show you what it's like in one simple step. But...not now. We have to get to Stonehenge. It's important that we get there with the others._ "

"Do you really think you can duplicate the pain?"

" _I don't think. I know I can. We'll see if you can take just a fraction of it. Robin had to ride it out for three hours. I doubt you could last five seconds,_ " Elvey said with a heavy frown.

"Humans are more resistant to pain than you know."

" _That may be true. But, not a pain that can affect your very core,_ " he growled. That had Bruce blink with surprise. He wanted to ask more questions, but Robin rose up his hand to show that now was not the time. For the first time in a long time, Bruce felt outclassed. _Robin was possessed by someone that had centuries of leadership and battle training._  He knew that this was the main reason why Robin didn't regret the path he walked on.  _He was being taught just by being possessed._

"Robin! Oh. Hello, Sir," Cyborg nodded.

"Hi," Bruce nodded back.

" _Is everyone ready for Stonehenge? We need to go now,_ " Robin said.

"Ready and waiting!" Cyborg said and walked with them. "Um...what happened?"

" _A mild berating,_ " Elvey muttered with a touch of Robin's irritation.

"Ooh. No comment," Cyborg said wisely. That got a small chuckle from Robin, as they walked along. Bruce was just amazed at the attitude that Robin had, but he knew that it wasn't really Robin in control. _The change of tone and stance proved it._  "Oh, do we need any moon crystals?"

" _No. My pendant will be enough. As long as we remain in the circle of stones, everything will be fine. Anyone can leave, but my daughter and King Jericho need to stay in it with Robin. My spirit with Essi and Tintagel must remain within them, too. We could become lost, if we leave. It's a risk we can't take. I almost think that, if it happened, we would just be absorbed back into our perspective vessels. The pendant that Robin wears is mine. Then there are the crowns,_ " he said.

"Okay," Cyborg thought. "So...the pendant is different?"

" _My pendant is like another soul-mated crown, you see. It's just as intelligent. I...had forgotten, to tell the truth. You will see when we get to Stonehenge,_ " he said. Bruce was just in awe of what he was hearing. He saw the pendant before, but he never realized how vital it was.

"Can I get a closer look at that necklace?" Bruce asked.

"My pendant can't be removed. I can show it to you, but I can't ever take it off. It bonded to me. Just like how Ambrosia and Jericho can't remove their crowns, this pendant is mine. Permanently," Robin smiled and showed him the moon crystal. Now Bruce saw how short the chain was. _It was just long enough to move around, but just a touch shorter than what was needed for Robin to remove it._ The pendant seemed to twinkle with a form of amusement. It was as though Elvey's soul was laughing at him. Bruce made a face at it for a rewarding twinkle to be given back.

Robin walked along with the others now, but he paused to take out a vial of nectar to drink down. He sighed.  _I need more nectar._  He had one vial left, so he knew he had to save it.

"How many vials do you have?" Cyborg asked.

"Six," he frowned.

"We'll double it after tonight," his friend nodded.

"Thanks," Robin sighed. "I know I'm going to need more, too."

"I thought Ambrosia's blood would have taken the slack?" Bruce asked.

"No. It just...bonded me to her. It doesn't really give me magic. She could, but it could drain her. And with her being pregnant with Aelfric...I won't chance it. Cyborg, she was so hungry, that she ate a  _full_   _jar_  of concentrated Fae honey!" Robin sighed with a wince.

"Are you for real?!" Cyborg gaped. "That stuff is strong!"

"I know it! As it is, Aelfric could drain her if she's left alone in her third month. I don't know how she would be without me. Because, if I have to fight Slade, and if she needs me..." he growled. Then he blinked at a thought. "Maybe...I'll look for him as we travel around..."

"Huh?" Cyborg blinked. Bruce looked at him with concern.

"Confront him before the tests. Get him out of the way," he mused. "I could use a good laugh at the shock he'll get! But...Ambrosia needs me close, too. I'll talk about it later with her. Ah...hmm..."

"What?" Bruce asked.

"She needs me. I can feel it. I took up too much time!" Robin scowled at himself.

"You know this?" Cyborg asked.

"Her blood gave me this advantage with her. She can talk to me from anywhere. Like she can with Beast Boy. Ah! It's Aelfric! I have to go!" he cringed and made a beeline for the bedroom. Cyborg and Bruce looked at each other and followed. When they got there, Robin was already running a hand over Ambrosia's belly to comfort the irritated fetus. He made a soft, low tone to show he was there.

"You followed?" Jericho frowned, as he saw the other two come in. "You should both go to the main room. We'll be at Stonehenge shortly."

"Wow..." Bruce blinked at the luxurious room. When he saw Ambrosia in her wedding gown, she blushed and looked away. The dress was just barely able to support her pregnancy. It was designed to be worn for brides, not expecting mothers. Esmiralda was able to help with it, but Ambrosia would not be able to wear the dress again until after Aelfric was born.

"You need to go with the others. I will meet you there," Robin said, as he kept his hand over her growing belly. "I can't leave her right now. She'll suffer, if I do."

"I'll go with you when you go," Bruce said.

"No," Robin said and looked over with a challenging glare. But, that was from Elvey.  _Bruce wanted to get close to Ambrosia. Why? It made no sense to me!_

"Why are you so interested in my wife?" Jericho asked now. Cyborg frowned at this, but he wasn't asked to leave. He was going to bear witness to this.

"I just...feel concerned for her well-being..." Bruce said.

"But why?" Ambrosia frowned now. "For what purpose?"

" _He wants to feel the pain Robin went through,_ " Elvey muttered. " _I told him he would know at Stonehenge. I think he wants to believe that he's up to par in physical and mental stamina with Robin._ "

" _It would appear to be the case,_ " Tintagel muttered back, as he emerged from Jericho. " _Mr. Wayne, what Robin endured is not for you to bear. Why do you feel that this is important?_ "

"Robin was a bit of my apprentice. Now I see that he may have surpassed me," Bruce finally admitted. "It makes me feel...lesser. If you put it that way. I don't think the student should surpass the teacher so soon, you know?"

" _Oh, please!_ " Elvey was barking out laughter now. " _What I do to train Robin in dreams is nothing in comparison to what you did! He battles against illusions, needs to learn how to cast spells, force himself to push himself to further physical endurance..._ "

" _He is learning how to not only battle Fae, but to protect against them, too,_ " Tintagel nodded. " _Same as King Jericho. They both do dream trainings together. Queen Ambrosia joins them to train in skills of etiquette with her mother close by._ "

"Is it possible for me to see one of these trainings?" Bruce asked now. That had Elvey make an odd sound, as he mulled it over.

" _It...may be possible..._ " Elvey thought. " _But, you would need to do one thing._ "

"What's that?" he asked.

" _At Stonehenge, I will see about charging a moon crystal for you. Keep it by your bedside so I can find you. Then, when a dream training happens, as long as you are asleep at the same time, I will see about bringing you into it. Just remember! Robin accepted me as a father in his dreams. It was the only way for me to train him properly, and he had the decision to either not go with it, or to accept it. Nothing was forced. He wanted it. Just remember that,_ " Elvey warned.

"I understand," Bruce nodded.

"We need to go to Stonehenge," she sighed. She was exhausted. Aelfric was draining her. Esmiralda was mentally concerned, but this was the child of death.  _This pregnancy will always be taxing._  Jericho was quick to feed her a jar of incredibly strong honey. It was the only thing that would sate her voracious appetite. Nothing else would work.

"Mr. Wayne, you had better come with me. They'll be with us," Cyborg said.

"Hey, Robin! Everyone's waiting...oh...hi," Beast Boy said, as he skidded to a halt. He didn't expect to see Bruce with them. At the feel of Ambrosia's tension, he gave out a small, instinctive growl of warning. That made Bruce's jaw drop.  _Beast Boy was never one to show ill intention to allies._

"Easy, BB," Cyborg said. "Everything's cool."

"Is it? Judging by what Ambrosia's thinking, she's scared. So, it's not cool to me!" Beast Boy grumbled. "I'm not budging!"

"Beast Boy," she sighed softly. He whined and moved to her side to snuggle into her. She rested her hand in his hair to calm him down. Bruce was clearly in shock now.

"He responds to her empathy. It's instinctive. Far too instinctive for him to ignore, and he acts without thinking now. He's saved her from multiple incidents, as it is," Jericho said lightly. Beast Boy let out an instinctive hiss, but was quieted at her hand over his cheek.

"Guys, she's getting tired. We have to do this now," Beast Boy frowned when he was able to think again. "Sorry, Mr. Wayne, for acting like that. Like they said, um, I can't help it. But, we gotta go now. She's too worried about missing the moon over Stonehenge."

"Darling? Okay. We'll go," Jericho nodded and pressed a kiss to her mouth. "Cyborg, go to Herald and have him start sending people over. Mr. Wayne, if you will accompany him? Or are you traveling with us? What is your choice?"

"I'll go with you, since I'm right here," he said. Robin nodded, as Jericho prepared the teleportation spell. When Cyborg left, the five of them were gone.


	26. Chapter 26

The five of them reappeared in the middle of the Stonehenge circle. The moon was nearly at its peak now, and Ambrosia felt a touch of pensive excitement. Bruce and Beast Boy were gestured to stand off to one side. They didn't want them to interfere, and Beast Boy would ensure that it didn't happen.

"This is England, right?" Bruce asked.

"Yes," Jericho nodded. "Ley lines cross here, and it is here that you will meet Ambrosia's parents. Do you still want to feel the pain that Robin went through?"

"I do," he nodded. Robin looked at his Queen, and she hugged him close.

"Go show him. Then come back to me," she whispered.

"Yes, my Queen," he nodded and kissed her to drink down a little nectar. "I need more of your nectar. My vials are nearly gone. I can wait until after, though."

"Can you?" she frowned.

"I had one earlier. I should be fine," he smiled. She nodded, and he walked over to his benefactor with the pendant in his palm. "Mr. Wayne, grab hold of my pendant. Act like you are trying to take it from me. As though you think it might hurt me."

"Fine," he muttered and grabbed it with a brute force that he used to apprehend intruders with. Then the pain he felt shocked him, and he released the necklace with a shout of surprise. The pendant was able to release an energy jolt that made him feel like he got zapped with ultra-strong electricity. It coursed through him within a single second to leave him gasping for air and kneeling on the ground.

"Now," Robin frowned, as he knelt down to be eye-level with him. "imagine that pain being nonstop for three hours. That's what I had to endure."

"Impossible...!" he gasped and coughed. He was barely able to pull himself together.

"Robin is an extraordinary human," Ambrosia said gently. "I...did not want him to go through such pain. But...well...he is stubborn."

"You know I am, my Queen," Robin grinned warmly at her. A split second later, the other Titans were there with Herald's open portal. Starfire flew over to land by them.

"Robin! Um, is Elvey here yet?" she asked eagerly.

"Not yet. We were getting to that," Robin smiled and kissed her. "Just wait by Beast Boy, okay? He'll be able to meet you, soon. Everyone else needs to stay outside the circle! Wait until the spirits are present, okay? Then you all can come in a few at a time!"

"We're here," Ealdun chuckled, as he appeared with other royal Fae. "Oh, good! We didn't miss anything yet! Why are you on the ground?"

"Robin...let me feel a touch of the pain...that he went through..." Bruce said and heaved himself up to stand. Gelsey gasped with shock. Elvin was quick to help him stand up.

"Was it what you expected?" Warren frowned.

"Hardly," Bruce muttered. "I'm still shaking from it!"

"The effect might not leave until you sleep it off," Ambrosia sighed. "Try to relax and don't stress yourself. Okay? I cannot heal you from this. This must be something you need to overcome yourself. It was a pain that you agreed to feel."

"I understand," he nodded.

"It's time," Jericho said. Robin moved quickly to stand with him and Ambrosia. As the moon reached over the circle of stones, Elvey's pendant was quick to join the shimmering crowns. The glowing light that appeared was fierce and far too bright to gaze at when it first appeared. Then it separated into three figures. The magic was so potent that they were solid enough to a point that they could shake hands and make mild contact. They simply could not pick anything up. When the three ancient, royal Fae looked at everyone, their colors of life returned to them, but they were still transparent.

"Essi," Elvey smiled.

"Elvey, dear. Tintagel," she smiled, and the three hugged first. Then they embraced the three that embodied them. "We are all intertwined. Now we need to plan and meet those that need to be met. Elvey, go speak with young Starfire now. Then we shall talk of other things."

"Starfire, come to me, please?" Elvey said, as he soundlessly moved to where she was. He could not leave the circle of stones, and she knew this. "We'll walk just a bit away, but not too far."

"Okay," she smiled and followed him.

"What's going on?" Raven frowned, as she came over.

"Elvey and Starfire had a bargain. A trade. He is honoring his part," Robin said "Nothing bad at all. Starfire agreed to it."

"If she agreed, then fine," Raven nodded. She blinked at Tintagel's gesture to come over to talk to him, and she found herself a bit timid. It was instinctive, since he was the Mage Bane. The powerful spirit just chuckled and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. Now she knew she was seen as an ally, and the fear completely vanished. As he started to speak in depth with her about her training, Elvey was regarding Starfire cautiously.

"Just one kiss as agreed. Okay?" he said softly.

"Yes," she nodded. She was lost in the intensiveness of his gaze before the kiss even reached her. She found herself floating on something like air by the time he pulled away. At the look she gave him next, he grimaced. He didn't even give her the deeper kisses that he did with Esmiralda.

"The trade is done. I will not touch you further until you marry Robin. As we agreed," he said carefully. "I do not want you enthralled with me to a point that you lose your love for him."

"As long as you will be in Robin, then I know that I will be okay," she nodded. That made him wince. It was what he didn't want to hear, but he expected it, too. "Um...will you kiss me again? Sometimes? I know...I had agreed to just one..."

"Starfire, I cannot," he said sternly. "One was even too much. Let's leave it at this."

"Then, I have a request," she said.

"Yes? If it is legitimate, then I will see if I can do it," he nodded.

"When I marry Robin, I want you both to kiss me when the time comes," she smiled. "So that I feel that I am marrying you both. Can that happen?"

"Ah..." Elvey groaned and rubbed a spectral hand over his face. "My heart belongs to Essi, Starfire. You know this. It is true that I can help Robin with you, but I cannot be a part of your marriage through him. I can only be there on the side."

"But...you will still be with Robin?" she asked.

"Most likely, I will be. But...I don't know what will happen when this battle is over. I may be released from him. Or, I may stay to train him. I feel that it may be the case, with how my soul is bound to my pendant. But, I do know this. As long as Robin feels that he needs me to aid him, I will be there. I promised to train him. My training takes several lifetimes to do. In this case, he may outlive you. I am unsure what else to say. But, I will be there to help him with you, if I must."

"Then I will always tell Robin to make sure that he needs you at his side!" she nodded. He scowled at this, as she flew off.  _This wasn't what I planned! She wasn't a human, so I can't fully glamour her. At the same time, she was fine with Ambrosia._  It was relieving and irritating all at once. When he got over to Robin, he paused.  _We still shared a mental form of communication._ This made things a bit easier to discuss private matters of the heart.

_:What do we do, Father? Um...I can call you Father, right?:_  Robin sighed.

_:Like this, yes. Well, my son, Starfire is quite adamant that I remain with you for the rest of your days. You may even outlive her. It's...frustrating, to be truthful. How is Ambrosia?:_  Elvey frowned.

_:My Queen feels very weak, but happy that you're here. Aelfric is draining her more than she wants to admit. She knows that there is much to do, but she does not wish to be a burden.:_  Robin mentally grumbled.  _:I fear that she will harm herself.:_

"My daughter," Elvey said and walked over to her. "how are you feeling?"

"I'm all right," she nodded. At the glance he gave her, she knew that he could tell it was a lie.

"How much more can you take?" he asked now.

"I don't know..." she trembled. "I thought my first pregnancy was to be rough. I just...didn't expect it to be like this...you know...?"

"Ambrosia," Jericho winced. He moved to her side to let her cuddle into him. He squeezed her and rocked her. As long as they remained in the circle of stones, she would not drain so much of her energy out. She would be recharged as long as she took no actions. Raven was clearly concerned, but then she looked up with alarm. _Something was coming to the circle of stones at a fast pace..._

"I know that sound!" Starfire growled. "It is a ship!"

"A spaceship?" Robin frowned.

"Sounds like it," Cyborg nodded.

"I dun like it!" Beast Boy growled and moved to Ambrosia's side.

"It appears that your sister has made her presence known," Elvey said and looked at Starfire. "Queen Ambrosia is greatly weakened by her pregnancy. Do not stress her with fighting. Just stay with us. King Warren, old friend! Care to help me cast a shielding spell?"

"Like old times?" he grinned and clasped a hand with the powerful spirit. "I don't see why not."

"After this intruder is seen to, we will speak with those that need to speak with us. My daughter is very drained right now," Tintagel said and rested a hand on Ambrosia's shoulder protectively. Robin was clearly showing his worry, but Elvey simply nodded to him to show that it was understood. Bruce was clearly concerned, but Warren gave him a look that everything would be fine.

"Do nothing," Elvey muttered to his son. "Let them handle it."

"Right," Robin nodded. As the small ship made its way to crash into the sacred circle, the powerful Fae there made a barrier spell. With their combined power coupled with the ancient magic of Stonehenge, the ship had no chance. It seemed to smash into the barrier as though it hit a steel wall, as it bounced backwards from the force. It was much like a ball being bounced off a concrete border. Then it fell half a mile away to the ground. Harsh screaming was heard next.

"Blackfire," Starfire frowned and sighed.

"Remember," Esmiralda said, as she walked over to put a hand on Starfire's shoulder to squeeze warmly. "She is not your true sister. By blood, yes. However, her motives are anything unlike family should be. Elvey, dear, I believe that one has been touched by Unseelie. I can scent it. Can't you?"

"I can," Elvey growled. "Starfire, I said I would protect you. Do not raise a hand to her. Stand by Ambrosia. Do not even speak to that intruder. She is no longer your sister, if she allied with Sinlus. She is already dead. Do you understand?"

"I do," Starfire frowned. "It is sad. I thought...that my sister would be happy to see me. I do not know why she is like this. But...she always tried to outdo me. I do not know why."

"She's jealous," Tintagel said with a grimace. "You are everything she wishes to be."

"And now she is nothing," Robin nodded.

"Blackfire?" Bruce asked.

"I'll tell him," Cyborg said, and told any that wanted to know about her. Just as he finished talking about her, the black-haired Tamaranian girl was storming over with a vengeance. At the sight of Stonehenge up close, and at how many were there to glare at her, she found herself faltering.

"Blackfire, is it?" Elvey asked from where he stood. "Your sister no longer recognizes you. You are dead to her. You stink of a vile filth that we call Unseelie. When that happens, you lose in the end. No matter what you do. Did one named Sinlus help you escape from prison?"

"That doesn't matter!" she scowled. "I'm here to finish a job!"

"Go ahead and try. Because, if you shook Sinlus's hand, you won't be able to do a thing right now," Robin smirked. "I doubt you even looked at your hand. Right?"

"What would you know?!" she growled. When she tried to charge into the circle of stones, she cried out with pain. Something shot up from her hand and pulsed through her body to lock up her joints. Then an instinctive thought took hold.  _I am not allowed to attack right now. It wasn't the right time._  "What...the...?"

"Look at your hand," Jericho sighed. "If you see a backwards moon crest, you've been marked."

"What?" she blinked.

"Whoever freed you," Raven said and glanced over. "did he look like me, but taller, wore black armor, and had blue-black hair? Sounded like a snake, too?"

"I..." she cringed. Robin studied her calmly.  _Normally, she was very confident. Things worked for her when she pushed things around in her favor._  As for now, he could tell that she felt a touch of insecurity.  _She was hesitating._  She was wearing gloves over hands right now. It was something that she tended to do when she piloted shuttle-craft. She clearly didn't want to remove the gloves.

"What are you? Chicken?" Beast Boy smirked before changing into the clucking bird.

"I am not!" she scowled. On looking at Starfire, she noticed that her sister wasn't even looking at her. She wasn't being regarded.

"Friend Ambrosia? Are you well?" Starfire frowned.

"Just...drained..." Ambrosia sighed. "Thank you for your concerns."

"What's wrong, Starfire? Not going to say hello to me?" Blackfire asked.

"I cannot speak to something that is already dead," Starfire shrugged, as she looked at Ambrosia. "Is that not right? I mean, your parents are here, and they are dead, but they are nice."

"Of course, we are," Elvey chuckled. Then he gave a slight, cold glare to Blackfire. The look chilled her to the bone. She knew that this one could kill her without a second thought. When Tintagel looked over at her with distaste, she felt the feeling strengthen even more.  _I am outmatched here._ At Esmiralda's giggle, she found herself cringing. The three Fae knew exactly how to weaken an enemy's resolve with only the slightest of movements.

"Unseelie pawn, you have no power here. You have been marked. You cannot attack now. Go home. You will know when to approach again," Ealdun said in his royal way.

"I am not this pawn!" Blackfire argued.

"Then look at your hand," Jericho said calmly. "Your left one. The scent of Unseelie is coming from there. Hmm? Darling? Okay..."

"She can't stand the smell, can she?" Robin frowned, as Ambrosia buried her face into Jericho's chest. Then he looked at Blackfire with irritation. "Leave. Now."

"Make me!" Blackfire scowled. She still didn't look at her hand.

"Okay," Alston said and appeared behind her. He may not be up to par in ancient standards, but he was a pureblood Fae. He was still exceptionally powerful in his field of spells. The chant he did threw Blackfire off guard by forcing her to lose her footing. Then she was blasted away from the sacred stone circle. As much as the others didn't appreciate what he did long ago, he was an ally now for signing the treaty. This was just the first step in the right direction with them. "She might come back."

"She's stupid!" Beast Boy muttered. "She didn't even look at her hand!"

"That she didn't," Raven smirked. "She's afraid."

"She knows that she is not herself anymore," Starfire sighed. "When she could not move towards me, she knew. I am sad, but she brought it on herself."

"And that's very true," Elvey nodded. "If she comes back, she'll be sent off again. Anyways, who needs to speak with us before our time is up?"

Several of the pureblood Fae came over now, as well as various Titans. As they each took a turn talking to the powerful spirits, Jericho was focused solely on his wife. He was grimacing at the mere fact that she had fully emptied three jars of highly concentrated Fae honey.  _And she wanted more._

"Tintagel, is this normal?!" Jericho asked him now. "I just...I'm speechless!"

"No, it's not normal. But, she needs heavier sugars. Hmm. I wonder if that stuff called ice cream could work. I know it's human food, but it may help her along," Tintagel mused aloud.

"Ice cream?" Beast Boy blinked. "Well, yeah, it comes in different flavors. Lots of flavors! Hmm. I wonder..."

"Beast Boy, please let your idea be a good one," Raven smirked.

"It is! Well..." he started. "can't we make Fae honey ice cream?"

"Ice cream with Fae..." Jericho thought. Then his jaw dropped. "That's brilliant!"

"And it didn't involve killer gerbils! Good job," Raven grinned.

"Nah. It's hamsters!" Beast Boy winked.

"I can make a super deluxe ice cream maker when we get back!" Cyborg grinned.

"Sounds like a plan," Robin chuckled. "Can Fae honey be infused with flavors?"

"The weaker honey, yes. It's mild in texture and flavor. She would need the strongest, though, and that masks everything. I'm not sure how ice cream would hold up to it," Elvey frowned, as he viewed Robin's memories. "There would need to be quite a few batches made."

"I can help with that," Bruce chuckled, as he walked over. "I can get in touch with a few ice cream companies. I'm sure they can help us make a few batches."

"I wouldn't recommend it," Tintagel said. "We are a very secretive race. If they find out the true nature of what they are making, we will be hard pressed to supply them with what they can't make. Fae honey is usually made by specialized bees and ants. They only process the honey by various methods. That, in itself, is a closely guarded secret, by only our most skilled honey harvesters. We then refine this honey by letting flowering plants absorb it. The nectar they give out is fed back to the insects we protect. The more this cycle is repeated, the stronger the honey. It's not common anymore. I was surprised that my daughter can conjure up as much as she needs!"

"If she couldn't..." Elvey winced. Esmiralda rested a hand on his arm and smiled warmly.

"Elvey, dear, don't think of it now," she whispered. "Our daughter is struggling. She needs stronger nourishment. Let Cyborg make the ice cream. Mr. Wayne, if you can get advice, or assist with technical means, please do so. That is where you shall be beneficial. Also, do not take your next business meeting lightly. Someone will try to overpower you. Be on guard."

"Essi has the seer's gift. She always speaks true," Elvey said now.

"I'll remember that, and I'll be wary. Thank you," Bruce nodded.

"The night is almost over. I can feel the magic starting to leave the circle. Come. Let us embrace one last time," Tintagel smiled. Elvey moved over to Starfire with a bit of a purpose now, and he leaned in close to whisper in a rather soft tone.

"Robin will ensure that I will remain as long as I am needed. You know that my daughter may need him close for Aelfric's sake. Robin  _does_  love you fiercely. Do not lose what love you have for him over me. Do you understand?" he asked carefully. She nodded and blinked at the hug he gave her now. She was actually able to hug him back, and she trembled. "I will have Robin help protect you, if that thing called your sister comes back to harm you. He will be able to stop her with me. You don't do anything until the time is there for the tests. Okay?"

"I understand," she nodded.

"When you marry Robin, I'll make sure to kiss you then. Just not as a part of your wedding. Give it time, and the rewards will be great. I can promise you that," he chuckled. That had her blushing hard at the thought. A kiss was pressed to her cheek, and he backed away to join with his brother and true love. The three embraced each other again, as Robin, Jericho, and Ambrosia gathered together. Once again, Robin's pendant joined with the shimmering crowns for the three spirits to dissipate back into the glowing lights they were. Then they split to their respective vessels.

"It was so good to speak with Esmiralda again!" Gelsey sighed. "I would still call her Queen, but she said not to. I will honor her wish."

"As it was with Tintagel and Elvey, too. Of course, habits die hard. I don't think they'll mind a slip now and then," Elvin chuckled.

"They won't," Robin nodded.

"I'll work on getting you some ice cream machines that you can modify," Bruce said. "I need to get home for a little rest."

"Allow me," Herald said. "Just give me your location."

"You have moon crystals now. Place them around your home, and I'll make sure to drop by for a visit. Maybe in the next day or two? Would that work?" Jericho asked, as he helped Ambrosia stand.

"I can plan for that. I have some vacation time that I need to use up," Bruce grinned. They shook hands, and he gave Ambrosia a fond squeeze to her arm. "If you need something, tell me. And you'd better make sure that kid lives! Got it?"

"I already know that!" Robin scowled and gaped at the knuckle rub he got to his head. "Damn it! You and Elvey both do that to me now? That's not fair!"

"And I do want to see a training session," he said with a bit of seriousness.

" _When you sleep, keep a crystal under your pillow. A blue one will work best. I'm sure a training session will be done soon,_ " Elvey muttered with a chuckle of Robin's soft tone. After that was said, Robin was given control back. "We need to head back, Titans! We have a lot of preparing to do!"

"Preparing?" Hot Spot frowned.

"Those tests are two weeks away, if that," Robin said. "Blackfire already made an appearance. Control Freak found his way into the Tower kitchen. Even Kitty, Killer Moth's adopted daughter, made an appearance some time ago. They are starting to come out of hiding."

"Control Freak? He was frozen!" Speedy scowled.

"Guess who thawed him?" Jericho growled. That made a small uproar of dislike in them.

"Well, you have stronger warding," Ealdun nodded. "Don't worry about that."

"Thank you, King Ealdun. I really need to rest now," Ambrosia sighed.

"Of course, Queen Ambrosia," he nodded. Herald was quick to send Bruce home, and others were able to get a free trip back to their underground castles. Ambrosia was the first to get sent back to her castle home with Jericho and the other Titans. When she stumbled, Jericho was quick to carry her.

"She's drained. Very drained. I have to take her to bed and feed her there. Robin, you know she'll need to see you," Jericho frowned.

"I know. Guys, I may be a bit scarce at the tower. If Aelfric doesn't know I'm around..." Robin muttered to his team. Cyborg held up a hand to show he understood. Starfire nodded her agreement.

"I want to study Elvey's library. I'll be there," Raven said.

" _That's fine. Have Robe help you,_ " Elvey said, as he took over. " _There is a room in the back that holds stronger magic._ Do not go in there!  _Wait until Robe knows you are strong enough. I warn you of this, because that room is heavily warded. If you are not strong enough to pass the wards, you will be killed where you stand. Do you understand this?_ "

"Clearly!" she swallowed.

" _My pendant will shield me, if I need something from there. I may have to look in that room, anyways, if I need stronger magical components. I'll have to see,_ " he sighed.

"Will I be needed?" Beast Boy asked.

"Not right now. If Ambrosia needs you, you'll know. Go back to the Tower to help protect it," Robin said when he was given back control. When they dispersed, Robin made a quick run to the bedroom.  _Ambrosia needs me._   _Bad._  The moment he got in, he pulled her into his arms, as he whispered, "My Queen! I'm here! Hush, it's okay..."

"Aelfric is one spoiled little boy," Jericho sighed, and had Robin help feed her a jar of honey.

"I know," Robin frowned. Ambrosia stayed in his arms until the jar was empty. She was still quite hungry. Jericho thought about what else could be eaten, but this was the heartiest thing she could have.  _Everything else wouldn't work. Nothing else was strong enough._

"Here, darling," Jericho said as another jar was brought over. "I hope the ice cream works."

"Same. Ambrosia can't conjure any, since she doesn't know what it tastes like. Actually, she was able to feed quite a few Titans at first! My Queen, can you make a bowl of strong Fae honey ice cream for me? Are you able to?"

"Um..." she blinked, and her crown flared out. A silver bowl with lightly tinted golden ice cream appeared with a long, silver spoon. Jericho's jaw dropped, but he knew that such conjuring could drain her.  _This could help Cyborg with the structure of the ice cream needed, though._  Robin tasted a little of it first, to show that it was for him. Then he blinked at how filling it was.

"My Queen, taste this!" he grinned. She took a spoonful and seemed to swoon. Her hunger was finally getting appeased. "Can you make me another bowl, my Queen?"

"Make a container for me," Jericho said after another bowl appeared. When that appeared, he said, "Thank you, darling. Can you get me Beast Boy?"

"Oh?" she smiled. She was finally feeling better. The ice cream was definitely doing wonders for her. Within minutes, Beast Boy had flown in and reverted human.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Try this," Robin said, as he pushed a fresh spoonful of Fae honey ice cream in his mouth.

"This stuff is AWESOME!" Beast Boy squealed. "But...wow...filling..."

"That's what we wanted to know," Jericho chuckled. "Now take this to Cyborg so he has something to work with. If we need stronger stuff, he can use this as a base."

"Right!" Beast Boy nodded and took the cold ice cream container. When he left, Robin found himself cradling his Queen. She knew he needed nectar, and she pulled him into a loving kiss to let him get what he needed. He would need to wait to refill the vials, though. She was already drained far too much from the calling of her parents.

"My Queen..." he whispered when she ran a hand over his chest.

"Are you truly my human?" she smiled. He growled at the question to make her giggle with a soft form of delight. "Of course, you are. I know you are. But, are you looking forward to the next dream training? Hmm?"

"As long as I can see you there," he smiled and kissed her with a possessive form of abandon. He reviled in her honey scent. Nothing else mattered to him now. Even when he lay spent in the bed next to her, he still felt her around him and clinging to him. He would never want the sensation to leave.

"I think we are ready for training," Jericho sighed, as she cuddled into his nude form.

"I was curious about something," she frowned.

"Hmm?" Robin asked. Jericho looked at her next.

"If I was made with both of my Fathers together...how were they with Mother?" she asked. At a bit of thought, both Robin and Jericho started coughing with surprise.

"Ask them when you see them," Jericho said.

"Ah, yeah. Let them tell you," Robin said with a small clearing of his throat. Ambrosia frowned, but Jericho kissed her to keep her happy. When she was sleeping, they looked at each other.

"At least her mother gave birth before it happened..." Jericho muttered.

"I don't think I want to do that with you," Robin admitted.

"They were literally...together with her..." he winced.

"Sleep. Now," Robin said quickly to change the subject.

"Right," Jericho nodded. They settled in the bed a bit more and sleep took over rather quickly.


	27. Chapter 27

When they arrived, both Tintagel and Elvey were glaring at their sons, but it was a touch of worry. Ambrosia had asked them how they sired her.

"You told her to ask us?" Tintagel asked Jericho with a grimace.

"Well, Father, it's your place to tell her. Not mine. I won't get in the way of that," he said.

"All right. You have a point," Elvey mumbled.

"Daughter, come to me. I will tell you," Esmiralda smiled softly. "Elvey, dear, you need to get Mr. Wayne here. You said you would."

"Of course, Essi," Elvey nodded. An odd look was given at Robin's small grin and shrug. "No mercy in your training regime. Got it?"

"I didn't expect there to be any," Robin said.

"Any what? Training? Or mercy?" Elvey asked now.

"Both!" Robin grinned and ducked at a playful smack to him. Elvey shook his head and closed his eyes to find out where Bruce was. Narrowing his eyes with a bit more focus, the pendant around his neck shimmered to help him. The form of the older man quickly appeared and solidified.

"Wow! I was not expecting that!" Bruce admitted.

"This is the dream world where I train Robin," Elvey nodded. "Ah, he does see me as his father figure here. It's needed so I can smack him around if he makes a mistake. I gave him the choice, and he agreed to it. Like I told you before."

"I understand. It's a very nice place, though! What all has he learned so far?" he asked. As Elvey started to discuss what training already occurred, Ambrosia was brought back over to Jericho and Robin. She looked a bit flustered at the knowledge she was given, but she also hid the fact, too. As it was, she needed both of her loved ones. After they soothed the growing baby, she gave a small sigh of relief. Aelfric was making sure to get all of the attention he needed. At Ambrosia's worried glance, Tintagel looked over at her to comfort her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't think they can train anymore," she whimpered. "Not while I am pregnant, at least. Aelfric is very demanding now. And, if he gets upset...and drains me..."

"Elvey!" Tintagel shouted. "Get over here!"

"What?!" his brother asked, as he jogged over.

"Our daughter has made a very scary point. We may not be able to train them until Aelfric is born. We may be able to do light training, but, the moment they leave her side here, that baby will want them close again. We have no choice. They may have to watch us fight and memorize what we do. It can be possible. Then, after the baby is out of her, we test them on how much they paid attention," Tintagel said with a small grin. Jericho and Robin looked over at him with looks of intense frustration. They had their hands resting on Ambrosia's belly. Elvey seemed to be grinning with a wicked form of amusement. Esmiralda could only nod her head at her husband in agreement.

"Well, Robin can pay attention when he knows it's important. I'd call this pretty important," Bruce chuckled. He sat in a chair that appeared for him and ignored the face that Robin made at him.

"I think I know what the two of you can do," Ambrosia said with a soft giggle. "Do a pure battle tactic spar. Show how powerful the two of you really are together."

"That's a bit risky with me," Elvey said with a soft smile. "I don't have a well anymore. If I drain the pendant, it will hurt Robin. But, you do bring up an idea. Mild magic use with more fighting than magic. That could be safe enough. What do you think, Tintagel?"

"I think that can work. We'll test it!" Tintagel grinned. Then, faster than anyone could blink, he swung at Elvey. A split-second duck was done, and Elvey scowled at him with disbelief. Robin was just gaping at how fast the move was. Bruce didn't even realize what happened.

"I wasn't ready!" Elvey growled. "I'm the one who does the first attack!"

"Could have fooled me!" Tintagel smirked.

"Dearests, will you both please be reasonable?" Esmiralda frowned. "Or do I have to take matters into my own hands?"

"No! We'll start out neutrally!" Tintagel said quickly.

"No Treants! We'll behave!" Elvey winced.

"Our daughter is pregnant with Aelfric. If she is stressed, he will drain her," she said carefully. "The moment she shows distress, you stop! Understood?!"

"Yes, Essi," Elvey nodded.

"We will stop when she needs us to stop," Tintagel said with full agreement.

"Ambrosia? Is something wrong?" Jericho asked when she nestled against him with exhaustion. She was clearly far too tired, even in the dream world, to stay awake for long.

"Just very tired," she whispered. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and Robin did the same. When they glanced at each other, the worry was clearly there.

"She can sleep. We'll pay attention," Robin said.

"Done," Jericho nodded. When they both shared her weight, they kept their hands on her belly. Bruce was just in shock at the ferocity and power that was displayed in the mock-fight of the ancient Fae. Mild elemental spells like fireballs, wind gusts, and energy spheres were thrown at Tintagel by Elvey. Tintagel either reflected back a few, dodged, and leapt over quite a few of them. When it came to physical confrontation, Elvey was too fast to hit. Tintagel simply blocked every punch and kick done to him. They haven't lost their fighting techniques at all. They practiced and sparred constantly this way to pass time if they were waiting.

"I can't believe that I'm watching this, and that it's all in a dream," Bruce mused. There was a sudden spinning kick move that was done by Tintagel, and Elvey blocked it with a quick grab of his hands. Then he flipped Tintagel over into a full backflip, but the nimble Fae landed on his feet. Without missing a beat, he was back at Elvey's side to attempt to land in a hit.

"Father!" Jericho said. That had them both pause and turn to answer questions. They haven't even broken a sweat or begun to pant.

"Yes, son?" Tintagel smiled.

"How is that you're not exhausted?" he asked.

"When you've trained for as long and as hard as we have, such a thing hardly ever happens. Now, if Elvey had all of his magic available, you would see a true battle. I might be sweating just a little after that," Tintagel grinned. "He would literally raise up a mountain to topple on me!"

"I did do that, huh? And you still dodged it!" Elvey chuckled.

"Anything you throw at me, I can dodge," he muttered.

"You couldn't dodge that sticky muck when you slipped in it!" Elvey snickered. Then he yelped and backflipped out of the way of Tintagel's spinning kick.

"That was when we were first training, and it was in a swamp! You can shut it!" Tintagel scowled. "That smell didn't leave me for three days!"

"And you had me do all of our food shopping," Elvey sighed. "Clumsy..."

"Didn't you slip on that ice patch and let a rather full chicken coop catch you on the way down in that human farming village?" Tintagel grinned at him now.

"That only happened once!" Elvey pouted. Jericho and Robin were both sniggering and trying exceptionally hard to keep straight faces. "I was still trying to get the enchantment down on my boots!"

"Enchantment?" Bruce asked.

"Yes. I make no sound when I walk, because I literally walk on the air. No one ever heard me coming when I mastered it. It made things much easier to sneak up on," Elvey chuckled.

"Cheater," Robin muttered.

"And you learned from it," Elvey countered.

"Elvey, dear, I just had a vision," Esmiralda said with a soft worry in her tone. "Robin's nemesis may appear soon. He will not expect anything, but do be wary. Young Robin must  _not_  encounter him unless it is you in control!"

"What?! That can only mean..." Robin grimaced.

"Slade. Okay," Elvey thought. "The villains are slowly surfacing. I agree that I should be the one in control when it comes to him. Essi, do you know when and where the encounter will be?"

"Near the home of the Titans. Sunset," she thought, as she focused. "Another day or two. It's hard to tell. You will know the signs."

"What can I do?" Bruce frowned.

"You can't do anything," Tintagel said. "Let us deal with it. You were brought here to witness him train. Each night we can bring you here, if you like. It's the most we can do."

"I would like that. I do sleep at odd hours at times," he admitted.

"It's fine. The moment I sense you sleeping, I'll bring you here. About three hours went by. We'll part ways now. We'll keep you informed," Elvey nodded.

"Please do," Bruce nodded.

"Oh, we got Ambrosia to make us some ice cream. When Cyborg has a recipe down for you, we'll send you what we have. It really does help her," Jericho smiled.

"Good! I'll wait for the news for it to come to me," he smiled back. He shook hands with everyone there, gave a small rub to Ambrosia's belly, and got sent out of the dream.

"And for us?" Robin asked.

"I guess we're done for now. Just keep Ambrosia happy. That's all you need to do," Tintagel said. They were all able to hug, and Ambrosia was still sleeping quite deeply when the dream ended.


	28. Chapter 28

They woke up in the bed, but Ambrosia was sleeping quite pleasantly between them. Neither of them wanted to wake her up. Robin was deep in thought about the possibility of Slade returning to challenge him, and Jericho was mentally glimpsing his thoughts.

"Slade is too smart to be deceived," Robin muttered.

"So we think," Jericho said. "He's human. He can be enthralled."

"Can he? He's patient, though. Yes, he helped us when he was backstabbed by a powerful being and got what he wanted in the end, and, yes, he kept to his word by not coming back..."

"Even you told him that, if he appeared, the battle would continue. There was always that stalemate in the end. He always got away. Didn't he?"

"He did. But, if he shakes Sinlus's hand, it will be over. Completely over for him."

"We both know that. I honestly think that he might. He was attracted to power, too."

"I hope he got wiser since we last spoke. Even you know that I'll kill him."

"Oh, we both know that," Jericho chuckled. "And we both know how much of a snake Sinlus is. He may just be able to entice Slade. Knowledge is a double-edged sword, if used right."

"Tell me about it. I'm only going to hope that Slade knows how to parry the sword."

"You are concerned about him?"

"When it comes to Sinlus, I have every right to be concerned," Robin said bluntly. "Not even I would want to become a pawn to something as vile as the Unseelie Court!"

"Point made..." Jericho sighed. "Well, we'll find out in the next couple of days. Won't we?"

"If Esmiralda already saw that it will be Elvey confronting him, I think he already made his choice," Robin grimaced. "Hopefully, it will just be him scoping out the Tower. Elvey will be scenting around for Unseelie, regardless of anything else. He already has that planned."

"You may have to make a deal with Aelfric that you'll be away from him for a while."

"Ugh. Maybe I can plan to be with him for a whole day. As much as my team would hate it, they know how messed up this pregnancy is! Raven will help keep the peace."

"That she will. I think it's time for some shut eye. You?"

"Same. And no training!" Robin scowled. He could hear Elvey's mental chuckle, but it would be respected. He would be woken if anything else happened. As they settled to sleep, someone else was wide awake and hidden deep underground. A long, lean figure was pondering over what to do in a rather complex technical command center. He had been laying low for a very long time and scoping out various options. Boredom was clearly an issue here. It was the same routine night after night. He had no idea that this night was going to be much different than the other nights.

"Hmm..." the mild voice mused from under the half-orange, single-eyed mask. Brown hair was swept back against his skull,as he tapped his fingers together with mild contemplation, but he had plenty of robotic enhancements. Most of them kept him alive under his black suit of sleek armor. He had honored his word to the Titans so far. He stayed out of their hair. They stayed out of his. At the amusing chuckle he heard behind him, he suddenly swerved out of the chair with a gun drawn.

His defenses were made to keep out flesh and blood creatures that he was used to seeing. The sight of something that actually got past his cameras and looked like a suit of black armor with menacing jointed spikes caught him with a rare form of surprise. Even the long, dark cloak of purple hair got his attention. Then it was the ears.  _What do I know of that had pointed ears?_  He was clearly puzzled. But, one thing was for certain. This being easily slipped past all of his defenses and is standing in his control room. Was he pleased? Irritated was more of his current mood.

"I'm sorry. I don't have an appointment..." Sinlus mused. The Unseelie Court granted him flesh when it came to recruiting others. That was part of their deal. Physical contact was a must. When it came to tormenting the Fae, he was on his own with his spiritual form. "I thought I'd just...drop in for a chat. Am I...disturbing you?"

"What...are...you...?" Slade asked with a touch of confusion.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Sinlus giggled. "But...I suppose it's fair. I'm of a race called the Fae. As in fairies. Pixies. Fairy tale crap. You know? Stuff you tell kids to give them 'good dreams' and 'good luck' and...a bunch of lies to make them feel special."

"Is that so?" Slade asked. "And...why are you here?"

"I noticed you were...bored. I'm offering you a form of entertainment! And...a chance at power. If you're interested?"

"I'll listen. But, I'm not interested. I can use some...conversation to kill the time."

"Ah! But, you must be interested if you'll listen..." Sinlus said with his silken voice. The enthrallment was now in place. "I'm sure...you've heard of the Titans?"

"Who hasn't?"

"Indeed! But, from what I recall...you could never beat them. Could you? How would you like that chance? To finally show that a bunch of kids can't get the better of you?"

"Those kids, as you so aptly put it, saved the world from destruction."

"With your help! Yes, I know! I saw it!" Sinlus grinned.

"You...saw it...?" Slade asked now.

"The Fae are ageless, you see. Eternal life. Eternal youth. I can give you something that you could use to your advantage. A chance to outlive your enemies. To live forever young and at a whim..."

"Wait..." Slade said now with a touch of surprise. "How old are you?"

"I am over fifteen hundred years old. Not even a wrinkle on me!" he smirked. "Other Fae can be older, though. It's a given."

"You don't have wings."

"I'm a half-blood. A mix of Pixie and Fae. I don't have wings. Never needed them."

"So...there are other kinds. Interesting..."

"Oh, there are various races out there. But...you remember my offer?"

"Why should I go after the Titans again? That's the question," Slade said, as he sat back down leisurely. If anything, the enthrallment kept him oddly calm. He knew that he wasn't going to be attacked.  _At least right now._  "I'm a touch...retired. I also gave my word that I would not approach."

"Not vocally," Sinlus chuckled. "But, this is the power I offer you. The chance of a lifetime! If you want the chance at eternal life and youth...well...all you have to do is shake my hand and agree to defeat Robin. That's all you have to do."

"Robin?!" Slade asked with a bit of surprise. Any form of calm thoughts of enthrallment suddenly shattered, and he was back on his feet. "No. I will not."

"Even at the chance for immortality?"

"No. The Titans are a thing of the past to me. There is nothing more for me to say."

"Hmm. I tried the nice approach. Ah, well. It can't be helped, I guess. The Unseelie Court gets what it wants in the end," Sinlus said, as his voice took on a more sinister turn.  _Slade was able to evade the enthrallment. He was far too compelling to be tricked so easily. It was like clockwork with Blackfire. Give her the chance to escape a dungeon to beat up her sister, and it was done. Same with the others to give them a second chance at revenge. But not Slade. He was a rare case. He was an honorable villain..._

"The what?" Slade asked. Then he paused, as two small sprites appeared in the room. The stench and aura of intense evil filled the chamber quickly. Sinlus only grinned at Slade's confusion.  _He didn't know how Fae magic worked. He didn't know how to keep such things away. How could he know?_ Then the vile rhyming started, and his single eye widened with shock.  _It was as though a whole army of the vile souls were talking as one!_

_"Tis Slade the sneaky!"_

_"His defenses are weakly!"_

_"We have chosen you..."_

_"Among the vast few..."_

_"To help with our testing!"_

_"So much worth investing!"_

_"Shake now the hand..."_

_"Give in to our demands!"_

"No! Get out!" Slade snarled and found himself paralyzed. His muscles wouldn't work for him. He was stunned.  _I had no idea that such power existed! I was there to receive the Mark of Scath. It was a power for me to control. I had agreed to carry it of my own free will. This is something else completely. This is being forced on me._ To say that he felt violated was an understatement.

"Only human. A shame," Sinlus clucked his tongue. "But, after this, you'll live forever!"

"I'll kill you..." Slade vowed.

"I'm already dead," Sinlus smirked. Slade gave out a hissing gasp, and his body jolted at the searing pain his hand went through. Sinlus had removed the glove from Slade's left hand and shook it. "Our deal is met! Feel free to scope out the Tower and decide on a vantage point. You are hereby out of retirement! I look forward to working with you."

The two pixies gave out forms of hideous laughter and vanished. Sinlus was gone with them. Slade was now able to slump to the ground, and he stared at the new backwards crest on his palm with disbelief. He was shaking. For the first time that he could ever remember, he felt that he had no control. He wasn't afraid.  _Far from it._ It was just the idea that he was now a puppet. The irony of it all was humiliating to him. Now he knew he had to confront Robin. _I simply had no choice._

He replaced his glove and stood up tall. He took a deep, collective breath to refocus on a new goal.  _I'll leave for the Tower tomorrow._ There was one thing he wanted to do now. He started to access his computers for any information about the Unseelie Court. He was going to try and find a loophole to get out of this new mess. Something told him that it would be impossible.


	29. Chapter 29

Nothing more happened until a day later. Robin was able to get a computer set up in the Ireland castle. Defenses were set up rather quickly at Elvey's castle with monitoring areas sent to him, too. A specialized room was created specifically for viewing all of their claimed locations. As much as moon crystals helped out Jericho, this was for the Titans when they stayed underground. There was an offshoot of the main bedroom that was lightly converted to have Robin stay close. The moment he left Ambrosia's side, he was demanded for.

"Tower ain't the same without you," Cyborg frowned. He sat with Robin over a game of chess.

"I know. But...you know how dangerous this pregnancy is. Everyone was warned," he sighed.

"Oh, I know all about that. Don't worry. Star seems to be okay. She keeps thinking about Elvey, though. She's with Raven now. I think she's trying to learn the Fae language. The hairs do help us in translating what we hear, but not what we read. We can't talk the language, but it does help us understand what's being spoken. King Ealdun has several of his people at Elvey's castle to help tutor them in the Fae language, too, and that helps," Cyborg nodded, as he moved a pawn.

"Good. The more the others can understand, the better off we'll all be. How is the ice cream coming along? Ambrosia was able to make a lot of Fae honey for you. She won't be able to conjure up anymore when the third month finally hits. And that's not far off," Robin said with concern. "She'll be drained way too much. Herald may even be hard pressed to keep her charged."

"We can make up to a year's supply, but, with how fast she eats it, it could be only a month. King Elvin said that Fae honey production is back in action. It takes a month just to make one jar of the strongest stuff. It's only a week to make ten jars of the weakest. Other Fae communities are trying to help. They all want the Unseelie Court off their backs."

"I know it," Robin nodded. "I mean...what more is there for us to do? All we can do is prepare and wait. We don't know what tests will happen. We don't know who else will appear. I hate waiting, but we really don't have much of a choice."

"Tell me about it!" Cyborg grunted. "Well, I'm calling check mate."

"I wasn't paying much attention," Robin sighed and leaned back in the chair. "Oh. Any word about Slade appearing at all? Esmiralda said he may be showing up soon."

"Not that I know of. Trust me. The moment he appears, you'll know," Cyborg promised.

"The evidence room locked down?" he asked.

"Everything was transferred here. That was done yesterday."

"Right," Robin nodded. Even Jericho agreed to store the dangerous artifacts at the castle for safekeeping. If the villains were coming out, he wanted to help keep them handicapped. A room was built under the ballroom and could only be accessed from a tunnel that hid under a trick floor. If it was infiltrated, moon crystals were studded all over with heavy warding set up.

"Robin!" Jericho hissed from the bed. Robin was quick to head over and place his hand on Ambrosia's belly. When the kicking fetus calmed down, he sighed. "This kid is spoiled rotten."

"Rather him be spoiled than kill his mother on accident," Robin muttered.

"Painful, but true," Jericho nodded. "Hmm..."

"What?" Robin asked, and Cyborg looked over with concern.

" _Titan's Grove has a visitor. Elvey needs to meet with him,_ " Jericho said, as Tintagel emerged. " _You know who it is. Don't let Robin intervene._ "

" _So soon?_ " Elvey mused, as he carefully had Robin step down. " _Can you sense Unseelie?_ "

" _Yes. But he's...hesitant. I wonder..._ "

" _Hmm?_ "

" _I don't think he agreed to it..._ "

" _Why do you think that?_ "

" _His movements look automatic. As though he's moving not of his own will. Almost like how I move when I need to do something I didn't agree with._ "

" _I'll approach and test if what you say is true. Oh. Beast Boy wanted to see this. Shall we get him?_ " Robin asked now. " _I'm sure we can do a picture image on the wall like a film._ "

"I think the others should see this, too," Cyborg said, as he stood up. "I can contact them."

"Darling," Jericho whispered to gently rouse Ambrosia. "Slade is around the small grove. Elvey needs to confront him. I'm sure Aelfric knows the importance of this. Robin, get your fix on her nectar. Get a couple vials, too. We don't want you to break down."

"Right," Robin nodded and moved quickly to kiss her. When he had four full vials, he drank down the much needed nectar. Then he ran a hand over her belly and said, "My son. I need to tend to an evil man. You should know what this means. Please give me at least an hour or two. You know this is needed. If you are as smart as I know you are, please grant me this wish."

A rather sharp kick was given in response.  _Aelfric understood._ As long as Ambrosia was kept fed and happy, the request would be done. Now the decision needed to be made on where the Titans could gather. Jericho didn't want to leave Ireland for safety. Robin could only agree.

"I have an idea on a room we can use. You think we could use the first meeting area here to do the viewing screen? It's the same room we did to inform them of the Unseelie Court," Cyborg suggested.

"That could work," Robin nodded. Cyborg activated the communicator, and the agreements were done. What surprised him was that various allied Fae wanted to see everything, too. They were all given communicators, and they all wanted to help.

"It's getting hard to move," Ambrosia sighed.

"I'll carry you and hold you in my lap," Jericho smiled lovingly. She blushed at him and let him kiss her with a loving form of protection. "You aren't leaving my side for anything."

"Good idea," Robin chuckled. Cyborg was already on his way to the meeting hall. Ambrosia was lifted and cradled, as she was carried there. Robin knew that the moment he left her side the timer would start. He had to wait until everyone knew what was going on. " _Patience, Robin. If you rush, then the enemy will know. As much as I know you want to confront Slade, only I can do the talking. Only I can move you around. Remember Essi's warning. Let me run the show._ "

A mental nod was given to his mentor, and he sighed nervously. He would always be nervous when it came to Slade, but, this time, it was with a form of tense excitement. On getting to the meeting hall, practically every seat was filled with both Titans and Fae. Beast Boy was a protective dragon and settled on Ambrosia's shoulders. Raven and Starfire were seated by Ambrosia to help assist her if they had to. When King Ealdun appeared, he moved right over to Jericho.

"King Jericho! What exactly is going on?" he asked as he sat down.

"Robin's nemesis has been spotted. He needs to be confronted. We also feel that he may have been deceived," Jericho nodded.

"If he was forced by the Unseelie Court to join them, he will be released when his term is done," Ealdun said cautiously. "It is a known fact."

"Is it?!" Robin asked with surprise.

"Yes. If the Unseelie Court convinced him to willingly join, he is bound fully by their terms. But, if he declined and was forced, he will be released when their use for him is over. If that is the case, then I will hold no permanent ill towards him. What makes you think this?" Ealdun asked.

" _When I saw him in the moon crystals, he looked...perplexed. Like he didn't want to be there,_ " Jericho said, as Tintagel emerged. " _Like I did when I was told to do something I didn't approve of._ "

" _You would know best,_ " Elvey said through Robin. " _I'll approach and ask questions. And, King Ealdun, don't worry about Aelfric. I was granted some time away._ "

"Good," Ealdun nodded. "That was my next question."

"The moment I leave her side, my timer starts," Robin sighed and looked over the crowd in the room. "Titans and allied Fae! I am going to be approaching an old foe of mine! King Jericho will allow all to see what happens. It will be much like he did with revealing his memories to us. None of you can assist! To ensure this, a warding will be placed over this room. Only Elvey can help me! Remember that! Stay here and observe. That's the only rule."

"Gotcha!" Cyborg nodded. They all agreed, and Raven, Jinx, and Herald put up the wards. When Robin returned, the spell would lift in full. Robin bent down to kiss Ambrosia to get a touch more nectar, and he nuzzled her.

_:My Queen, I'll be back as soon as I can.:_  he vowed.

_:Be careful, Robin. I love you.:_  she smiled. They kissed again mentally and physically, but the physical kiss was done in a way that it looked like he was getting more nectar.

"Be wary, brother," Jericho said to both Robin and Elvey. A nod was given back, and he teleported to the grove. As they watched the new screen that appeared, Elvey took full control. Robin was able to be fully blocked out for his own safety.

" _Just observe, Robin. I cannot give you control. You know this._  I know," Robin muttered to himself, as both him and Elvey conversed. Then Elvey took full control. " _I'm going to track his movements._ "

Robin gave a mental nod, and Elvey started to examine the ground. To the untrained eye, it would be easy to miss the slight imprint of a light foot on the moss. As soundless as Slade was, he left his tracks out in the open without realizing it. Smirking now, Robin let Elvey guide his body into the city and close to the Tower. On reaching a tall building, he found Slade with his back turned. Cracking a wicked grin, he lightly cleared his throat.

"Hmm?" Slade asked and glanced behind his shoulder.

" _You have no idea how easy it was to track you down,_ " Elvey muttered softly. " _Don't worry. I'm not here to fight. I'm here to talk._ "

"To...talk?" Slade asked with a touch of confusion. Robin sat down on a small concrete ledge and looked completely relaxed.  _Too relaxed. This wasn't Robin._  "Who are you?"

" _Figured it out that fast?_ " Robin grinned and chuckled. " _A mentor of Robin's. You could say. I won't let him come out to talk. It would be...traumatic for him. So, he agreed to let me talk._ "

"A mentor you say?" Slade asked, as he turned to fully face him.

" _Yes. And...I just have to ask. Did Sinlus shake your hand?_ "

"Yes. Not by choice."

" _Ahh. There may be a chance for you yet. My brother was right,_ " Elvey mused. " _You may be able to be freed after your ordeal is over._ "

"You think so?" Slade asked. He didn't bother to sit down. There was something about this entity in Robin that he sensed was dangerous.  _That it was as cunning as I was._  He had to be on guard.

" _I know so,_ " Elvey chuckled. Even that small sound was challenging.

"Are you as...old as Sinlus is?"

" _Give or take a century. Needless to say...he tricked me, too,_ " Elvey muttered with a sigh. " _He'll get his demise, though. Either by me...by you...anyone else. It will happen. Tell me. Was he rhyming? Or was he talking normally?_ "

"The two things that appeared to force me to their side spoke in rhyme. Not him."

" _But, it may start to happen soon. I wonder if it will happen with each test that fails._ "

"What are these tests?" Slade asked with complete curiosity. "I was not fully informed of them."

" _Sit down and I'll tell you. You have my vow that I will not raise my hand to you. Unless you try something,_ " Elvey grinned softly. " _As much as your legs can support you for years, you might stagger with what needs to be said. And I'm on a time limit. You'll learn it all._ "

"I'll lean," Slade nodded. He moved to do just that against a metal pillar. Elvey now informed him of who Sinlus was, what happened with him, and what all he did in the past to the present. Slade was a touch surprised that this very creature slaughtered so many in a single night. It didn't sit well with him at all. He would have evacuated the populace or sent them into hiding.  _Not outright slaughter._   _I would want to control the others. Not kill them off with such waste._  On learning about Ambrosia, he paused in wonder. On learning of her ordeal, he lowered his face in silent reflection. There were more questions that appeared to him now than answers.

" _Queen Ambrosia is quite safe and heavily guarded. Not even the Unseelie Court can touch her,_ " Elvey said with a mild tone of warning. " _Her crown is very much alive. She cannot handle the scent of the Unseelie Court. It disturbs her._ "

"I see..."

" _If what you say is true...on you being forced into this mess,_ " Elvey thought aloud. " _I know that you and Robin have unfinished business. I know that he will attack you the moment I let him out. It's why I haven't given him full control. You have done far too much harm to him than he cares to admit. If you stick to your vow to leave and not come back after this is over, I'll let you live._ "

"You'll let me live?" Slade asked with a touch of amusement. Then his eye widened when Robin's body seemed to dance to his side in just a few steps. He was in even more shock at how soundlessly and easily his pole was out and pinned to his back.  _I could have been ripped in half and wouldn't have even realize what happened. I was correct in my earlier assumptions._   _The entity in Robin is dangerous._

" _Yes. I'll let you live,_ " Elvey said in a soft, bored tone. " _I respect who you are. I respect your conditions. I respect your way of life. But_ if you dare _to involve Robin or his allies in any of your future schemes...I will not hesitate to kill you. I won't even pause to think about it. I'll just do it._ "

"I...understand..." Slade said with hesitation. For the second time in his life, since his forced alliance with the Unseelie, he found himself at a stalemate. "Can I have your name?"

" _Not right now. If Sinlus knows who I am, then he may have an advantage. It will have to wait. Just know that Jericho also has a powerful entity within him, too. He has been listening to everything we have said. You are always watched,_ " Elvey mused and slipped a tiny, clear moon crystal onto Slade. It was just under the fold of where his mask bound to his head at the neck juncture. It wouldn't dislodge unless it was pried out. If it was found and removed, then it was fine. If it was undetected, it would be even better.  _Slade was also a human. He wouldn't know how to detect it if he tried._  " _I need to go. So do you. You will know when to approach again._ "

"I will?" Slade asked. He just barely followed how Robin's body moved gracefully and soundlessly in front of him. Now he knew.  _Robin wasn't human anymore._   _His vital signs were different. His posture had more grace and composure, as well as confidence._  Elvey was doing everything he could to keep from laughing outright. Slade was too ridiculously funny to him. He'll be laughing his head off back at Ambrosia's side.

" _You will. Just pay attention to your left hand,_ " Elvey smirked. " _That is where the scent of Unseelie is coming from, anyways. Maybe...just maybe...if everything is done here, we could see you as a last resort ally at a distance. You are honorable, to an extent. You keep your word. I recognize your potential. However, I would keep any possible alliance at a distance. For safety._ "

"Agreed..." Slade nodded. Anything that was able to take him over he knew he would need protection against.  _If I'm being offered a possible way to keep it from happening in the future, I will always accept the assistance._  "Until I meet with Robin and yourself again, I will go."

" _Good idea!_ " Elvey said with a sharp nod and a grin.  _Slade was definitely like Tintagel. Just human. And very sloppy with his movements, but they would always be sloppy to the Fae._ When Slade turned around, Robin was simply gone. Momentarily stunned, he left the way he came. Elvey was giving a maniacal grin and musing to himself.  _Slade showed promise, but he was overconfident. Maybe that will change with the test to come._  Sighing to himself, he teleported back to Ireland.

"WOW!" Beast Boy said, as he reformed to human. "That! Was! AWESOME!"

" _Indeed,_ " Elvey chuckled. Now Robin was given back control. "As much as I hated the fact that I couldn't do anything, I feel bad for him. Just a little."

"He was forced into the Unseelie fold," Ambrosia frowned. "He would make a powerful ally, but even I can sense the darkness hovering in him. It protected him and faltered him against the Unseelie."

"It may blind him in the test," Jericho thought. "He's not one to lose, but he may do so purposely. Just to be free."

"You think he would?" Robin frowned. He sat down and placed a hand on Ambrosia's belly. "I kinda doubt that. Neither of us want to lose. That's a given. I know he'll do whatever he can to beat me, but I feel that he knows he simply can't. If Elvey is able to help me win, he's done."

"You've also been training with things that he can't comprehend," Ambrosia chuckled. Robin smiled at her next thought and got her some Fae honey ice cream. The whole bowl was devoured, and she sighed with contentment.

"Robin!" Starfire giggled and moved over to hug him. "Um, what did friend Ambrosia just eat?"

"It's a special ice cream. Just eat one spoonful. Okay? It might fill you up," Robin smiled. She took the offered spoon and gasped at how delicious it was. Then she blinked at how full she got.

"Lemme try that!" Cyborg grinned. At one spoonful, he was shocked that his voracious appetite was destroyed. "This is good for emergency food. I still like my meat!"

"This is just as good as tofu!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Nothing beats meat!" Cyborg growled.

"Nu-uh!" he growled back.

"Later," Jericho said with a small mutter. Ambrosia was amused, but she was also worn out. She was already lightly dozing off against his shoulder. "What's next on the things that we need to do?"

"Mas y Menos and Kid Flash are almost done with the crystals for Elvey's castle. I think some Fae horses will be here soon, too, so the stables are being redone. There is a lot that's happening around here. As much as I want the smaller castle to have more plant growth, and the gardens for Elvey's castle need to be redone, too, we will wait. Ambrosia can't use anymore of her powers. Mild food conjuring is it. Maybe light healing, too. Intense healing might be risky. Hopefully it will never come to that," Robin said, as he thought aloud. "Elvey will need to go into the secured area of his library. He needs to search it. He thinks he remembers some powerful artifacts in there that were recovered."

"Make another deal with Aelfric before you decide to go," Jericho nodded.

"I know. Maybe a bit later tonight. As for right now, we know what's being done. Just downtime and keeping the burglaries at bay. I think Mr. Wayne may want us to visit, too. As much as I want Ambrosia to see the Renaissance Fair..."

"No. Too risky. I can see a visit to Bruce, but not a fairground. Not while she's like this," Jericho nodded. "It may have to wait until we can properly see it."

"Yeah," Robin nodded. "Titans! Allied Fae! All is well for now! Feel free to do whatever you need to do! Queen Ambrosia is too exhausted to do much right now."

"We'll check out those night clubs," Hot Spot said. "King Warren wants to return to the one Ambrosia was at. Do you know which one?"

"Ask Cyborg," Jericho nodded. "Mr. Crumbles also gave me his personal email address to give to all of you. If you need access to an account, contact him directly."

"I'll send that out," Cyborg nodded back. Now with that in effect, Robin was able to escort Ambrosia and Jericho back to the bedroom. Beast Boy was flying along behind them in a sparrow form. When they got to the bedroom, the door was shut for them all to wind down for the rest of the day.


	30. Chapter 30

Aqualad was deep in thought to himself from where he sat in the meeting hall. Only a couple hours went by, and he was troubled. He was thinking over everything he had witnessed and been a part of. He wasn't sure why he felt the way he did. In truth, he was lightly enthralled. He just didn't know it. He gave out a small sigh of frustration and took out the long strand of hair. The scent of honey teased his senses to make him shiver. _Why can't I stop thinking about her?! Ever since she touched my cheek, I've felt off. What was I missing? I can't simply approach her to ask her questions. Or could I?_

He knew that she was being protected.  _That her kid could kill her._   _Maybe I can help her with the kid? Somehow?_  He thought hard to himself and put the hair back around his neck.  _There was no harm in asking what I could do, right? It would just be a simple question._ Pursing his lips in thought, he got up from the table and started to walk down the hall towards the bedroom.

Bushido was going to report to Robin when he found Aqualad walking in the same direction. He sensed that something was off. Tilting his head to the side, he approached his comrade and said, "Aqualad? Are you well?"

"Huh? Oh! Hey, Bushido. I'm fine, actually. I was just gonna ask Robin what the plan was," Aqualad replied. "I'm not sure who all are going to be tested."

"No one does," Bushido nodded. "But...you're sure you are well?"

"Well..." he started to break. At Bushido's intense stare, he gave in. "I was touched by Ambrosia. In the hallway. It was something that just happened. Apparently, she was gonna reach for me. I just...I can't stop thinking about it..."

"Aqualad!" Bushido winced. "Are you serious?!"

"Yeah. Robin warned me about it. Jericho, too. They even had my memories removed for a bit, but they brought them back when Ambrosia was with me again. But, Beast Boy intervened the second time. Charged at me as a rhino and bowled me down. Then he took her away."

"For good reason, I can imagine," Bushido sighed. "You know that, if you piss of Jericho, you may be on the other side his fist is on."

"Ugh..." Aqualad cringed. "Yeah. I know."

"What all did you need from Robin? I was going to report to him on the moon crystals from Kid Flash," the honorable teen said. "I could talk to him for you to keep it from being awkward. If you like?"

"No. I think I should confront him on my own. I don't want to show that I'm a chicken or anything," Aqualad smiled. However, Bushido saw right through the white lie.  _He wanted to see Ambrosia._  Now he moved in front of the water Titan with a shake of his head.

"I cannot allow you to do that. It would cause too many problems," Bushido said sternly. "Ambrosia affected you somehow. What do you hope to gain by seeing her?"

"I don't know!" Aqualad admitted and leaned against a wall. "I just...I can't get her out of my head! I can't think! I almost believe that I'm going crazy!"

"If you continue down this path, you may find yourself with a fist in the face," Bushido muttered. "Either from Jericho or Robin. Maybe even me."

"What?!"

"I am not affected by Ambrosia, but I respect why she is the way she is. It is something she cannot control, and she is not at fault. I am not jealous of any that are with her. However, I will not stand idly by and watch another teammate suffer over such a slight issue at hand. You can walk away with me right now. You can tell me what you want to say to them. You can simply walk away and say nothing. But, I will not allow you to see her in your current state. It will cause too many problems. Granted, she reached for you unknowingly. It was instinctive, from what I know. I also know that any of us could have been affected. It is why she has Jericho and Robin with her. Even Beast Boy."

"Beast Boy?!" Aqualad gaped. He wasn't fully sure why he was with her. Now he knew.

"He assisted with her curse. I will not argue with the reason."

"Oh."

"So, please...cease your attempt to see Ambrosia. It will give you nothing, save despair and shame. Abandon the thoughts of being with her," Bushido said with as much sincerity as he could.

"I can't..." Aqualad frowned. "I have to see her."

"Then I have no choice," Bushido growled and braced himself to attack.

"Stop!" a stern commanding tone said from behind them both. They turned to find Jericho there with Ambrosia and Robin. Beast Boy was curled around her neck with a look of irritation in his dragon form. Jericho was listening through the crystals until he knew he had to intervene.

" _Aqualad. Talk. Now,_ " Robin said with a small glare, as Elvey emerged.

" _He doesn't have to,_ " Jericho muttered with Tintagel's tone. " _He's enthralled._ "

" _Seriously?!_ " Robin grimaced. Ambrosia gasped and shivered.

"That's what's wrong with me?!" Aqualad asked with shock.

" _Yes. When Ambrosia reached for you, she lightly charmed and enthralled you. It's what she does with Beast Boy. This only happens in her second month. There's only one way to fix this, too,_ " Jericho sighed, and Tintagel stepped down once the situation was explained. "Bushido, thank you for stopping him, but you might want to move out of the way."

"Are you going to punch him in the face?" the honorable teen asked, as he moved.

"As much as I want to, it won't work," Jericho admitted. "Robin could, but that won't work, either. Darling, you know what must be done."

"Yes. I do," Ambrosia frowned. "Come here, Aqualad."

"Ambrosia..." Aqualad shivered and walked towards her. She looked at him pitifully with a touch of sadness. Then she slapped him across the face with a fierce form of anger.

"Snap out of it! Now!" she scowled. "You are not destined to be with me! You are to protect me and assist me when you can! You helped me with a lost moon crystal chest. For that, I thank you."

"Ah...wow..." Aqualad reeled back and shook his head.  _The enthrallment was gone._ Bushido was actually trying not to laugh. Robin was no better.

"Do you feel more like yourself?" she asked.

"Yeah. And...ouch..." Aqualad winced at the pain of her slap. Now she smiled softly and healed him. "Thanks. So, I was enthralled?"

"That you were," Jericho nodded. "It should be gone now. And that's the only real way to remove an enthrallment. A glamour only band-aided the problem. As you can tell, it came back. We could have done it permanently, but you're an ally. It wouldn't have been right. Sure, we could have punched you, but that would have only made us feel better. Be glad that's all it took."

"Yeah. I don't want to be punched in the face!" Aqualad chuckled.

"No, you don't," Robin smiled. "We did glamour you before, but it only worked that first time. When you were with her again, she kept herself from going to you. As I said, it was a band-aide. A temporary fix. So, we decided to trust you with the secret. We can't let anyone else know."

"It makes sense to me now," Aqualad nodded. "It could happen again, though. Can't it?"

"It can," Jericho sighed. "And, with Aelfric needing us close, it won't be very often that she's alone anymore. We have to be with her whenever we can. He'll kill her if he drains her. He's causing her stress to force us close to keep that from happening."

"Smart kid," Aqualad smiled.

"Tell me about it," Robin chuckled. "But, did you have anything you needed to ask me?"

"I did," Bushido said. "Elvey's castle is almost complete with moon crystals. We may have an excess of them. Where did you want them?"

"The moon crystal room," Jericho said. "We should start to build up an excess when we can. New castles are opening up to us from the alliances. My. Wayne even wants us to pay him a visit soon. We'll need to upgrade the teleporter at the gazebo. I believe that King Ealdun would like us to visit him, too, but he can wait until Aelfric is born. It will have to be that way with other Fae royalty. It's too much to move her around. Occasional moving is fine. We can't risk taking her to new places of the Fae realm just yet. They may ask her to do something with her powers. Whether it's building a garden, or assisting with another, it would drain her too much right now."

"I can see that," Aqualad frowned.

"Oh, what happened to Ambrosia's things? That Alston returned?" Bushido asked.

"They were returned, but Beast Boy destroyed all the clothes. They couldn't be salvaged, and I wouldn't want her to wear something that would give her bad memories, anyways," Robin said.

"Robin!" Cyborg said, as he charged up to him.

"What?" he asked. At the look he was given, it was obviously bad news.

"Brother Blood is missing from jail!" he hissed.

"WHAT?!" Robin gaped.

"No...way..." Bushido said with disbelief.

"I just got the news. Someone...or something...busted him out!" Cyborg scowled. "He's  _my_  nemesis. I thought it would be that little pip squeak! Not him!"

"He wasn't frozen, either," Robin sighed heavily. "How did the Unseelie Court find out about him?! I'm at a loss on what to think."

"Well, if he's a part of the Unseelie Court, then it will be his last battle," Ambrosia said calmly. She ran a hand over her belly and looked at Cyborg warmly. "If you beat him before, you can do it again. That's if he comes for you. Don't worry about it now. There is no need for it. You have another two weeks to prepare. I doubt he will know what to expect."

"I just hope he doesn't bring about another H.I.V.E collective," Cyborg grumbled.

"The Unseelie Court will not allow it," Jericho said. "It has to be one on one only. If they find any others, they will be put against other Titans."

"I'm worried about Raven," Beast Boy said, as he reverted human. "Her father was her enemy. Trigun. He died, but can he be brought back? Was he even killed off? Or that dragon in that book? Can it be freed? I'm really worried now."

"Beast Boy. Shut up!" Robin hissed.

"I'll talk to Robe," Jericho said. "Robe will help her prepare for the worst. She's actually advancing at an alarming rate. Robe knows all the shortcuts for her. Even Jinx and Herald are progressing swiftly. But, Raven is almost at the point that she can learn the more advanced spells. She was starting to learn them, actually. Robin, when did Elvey need to go to that magical section in his library? We may need to do that now."

" _You think so? Hmm. We can go now,_ " Robin thought, and Elvey emerged. " _My daughter, are you well enough to travel with us?_ "

"I should be all right," she smiled. "I just ate, so I'm fine. Bushido? Aqualad? I would ask you to join us, but we need a list on who was frozen. If the two of you can get back to that chamber, you can probably see who was unfrozen."

"That's actually a good idea," Bushido nodded. "Herald can help us."

"Are you sure?" Aqualad asked. "We won't come to any kind of attack?"

"Ask various allied Fae to assist. They can protect you," Ambrosia suggested. "Cyborg, you should come with us. I'm sure Starfire is with Raven, and they should be with us, too."

"She's right. Let's go to Elvey's castle. Gazebo?" Robin asked.

"I'll teleport us there. Just a quick hop for us. It will be fine," Jericho nodded. Aqualad and Bushido both nodded, but they also decided to have other Titans help in tracking down what villains were missing. When Robin's main group grabbed hold of Jericho, he teleported them out.


	31. Chapter 31

They appeared outside Elvey's ancient library. Raven was inside and appeared surprised to see them. She was studying up on the Fae language here. Starfire was also there to learn what she could. They had arrived at Elvey's castle just an hour ago when King Ealdun suggested they find a few ancient tomes to bring back. He didn't have the expansive library that Elvey had in his glory days. He did warn them to take absolute care, too. The library was something to be very wary of.

Elvey was only grateful that the special back room was unaffected from the destruction that was done around it. The wards were so powerful that not even the Unseelie Court could find it. It could also be moved around, as the room was actually a part of a living entity. That entity would be revealed when a bare wall was walked up to with solemn respect.

" _Okay. This is how it's going to work,_ " Elvey said through Robin with utmost importance. " _The stuff that lies beyond this wall is_ very _dangerous. The artifacts we are going to see also feed a very rare being that helps control the room, too. I wouldn't be surprised if my hill lasted as long as it did just from the power that emanates from here. Anyways, the moment the entrance reveals itself, don't walk in first. I have to do it to show that all of you are protected. Soul-mated crowns are instantly protected, as they are just as powerful, and they are living entities, too. They are respected. My pendant is very much the same. I'll be protected just by having it. So, Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy, stay between us. Let us form the shield of protection over all of you._ "

"I thought you said there was a door back here," Raven frowned.

" _There is, but it's hidden. Since you can't see it, you aren't strong enough. Be glad that you can't see it yet. I don't want your curiosity to get the better of you. Anyways, Cyborg, make sure to keep an eye on the others. It's important,_ " Elvey said lightly with a strict air of warning.

"Wow. Um...okay..." Cyborg blinked. Ambrosia and Jericho moved behind the small group, and Robin now moved to the front. They chanted softly as one for a triangular shield to appear. It was widened just enough for them all to have room to move.

" _Don't leave this area of protection! If you do, you may become subject to purely raw Fae energies. They may rip you apart,_ " Elvey warned again. Raven actually felt her robe shiver with excitement. It had never known what lay in this hidden room. It would enforce her to remain safe.

"Stay with me, Star," Cyborg said wisely, and he kept a hand on her shoulder. He was taking Elvey's advise to keep the group close together. She nodded with a touch of fear. She could sense the tenseness from Robin now. Even when he placed a hand on the wall, she could feel how calm he was forcing himself to be. Runic carvings suddenly appeared in the stones and flared to life with a warm, blue light. Raven was gaping at the power the runes held by themselves. _This room was not to be messed with by anyone that had no idea what to do._

The wall shook, and a set of large, sapphire gems in the form of eyes blinked open. At first, there was a sense of confusion.  _Was this Elvey?_  At the show of the pendant next and a brief explanation in the Fae language, the entity showed a sense of sorrow. It didn't know that Elvey had died. It tended to sleep and rest to conserve its energy for the land around it. More whispered words were given now, and the creature seemed to tremble with pain and rage. Even Jericho was looking away with hurt when his crown flared out to give more memories. Ambrosia's soft, gentle smile was now noticed. The entity purred and agreed that she would be kept safe.  _She was important, and so was the child within her, despite how deadly the fetus was._  The entity knew that it was safe, as all it did was protect and guard with no form of sin.  _The room was clearly needed to be seen to and approached._

Now the doorway appeared in the form of a gaping mouth with dagger-like teeth of solid gold. They all stared with their jaws dropped, save for Robin, Jericho, and Ambrosia. The room was fashioned by an Earth Elemental. One of the last of its kind. They were summoned to be guardians over powerful things, and this one was the strongest one that was available. As they walked into the mouth, it closed behind them. And it wasn't just a room they walked into. It was a tunnel leading down its throat. Robin now turned, as Elvey made sure they were all in the field of protection.

" _Remember. Don't stray. All of you may be tested. I am immune, because of my pendant. The crowns will protect Jericho and Ambrosia. But you four may be swayed to leave and explore. As much as we are seen as allies, an Earth Elemental may want to do its own test of trust,_ " Robin warned again. " _It's an instinctive thing for it. Don't leave the shield at all costs._ "

"An Earth Elemental?!" Beast Boy gaped. "Hmm. Can I become that?"

"It is not a beast," Ambrosia smiled. "It is a creature of pure magic. Not Fae energy, but something as old as the Unseelie Court. This one is the most powerful. The items that King Elvey had in his lifetime are creations of magic, themselves. You will see. They are not even artifacts for him to use. He is like the Earth Elemental. He is a guardian, too, and rarely calls upon such things. He could store his most powerful items here, but something could easily go wrong. This place can easily twist magic around and make spells go awry. It is risky to actually use this place as a storage for anything else."

"So...it takes old magic to contain old magic..." Raven mused. "And new magic may not work."

"Exactly," Jericho nodded. "It's old magic that is protecting all of you right now, too."

"Okay," Cyborg nodded. He paused at the sight of some intricately glowing crystals. When he moved to peer at them, Jericho cleared his throat with a sharp glare. "What?"

" _You're being tested..._ " Elvey chuckled through Robin.

"Oh...snap..." Cyborg blinked. "Um..."

"Look ahead. Don't look at the walls," Jericho advised. He saw the crystals as illusions. His crown was protecting him in full. As they moved down further into the depths of the cave, another set of crystals appeared. They seemed to be glowing with powerful, ancient magic in an enticing way. Raven's robe was actually caught by surprise and curiosity. Then it recalled the warning. Raven was shocked that her robe was now being tested, too. _The Earth Elemental was taking no chances._ Elvey may have claimed them as allies, but it need to be sure for itself.

"How pretty!" Starfire gasped at a dangling diamond in a rope of gold. Cyborg squeezed her shoulder to keep her from flying off. "Oh! Um...a test?"

" _Yes. Beast Boy! Don't stray!_ " Robin snapped.

"This cave is mean!" Beast Boy scowled, as another diamond seemed to twinkle with merriment from where it was stuck in the wall. "We can't touch anything?"

" _Unless you want to be ripped apart by the ancient energies around us, go right ahead. Besides, what you see are actually powerful illusions. The illusions are actually paths to dead ends,_ " Elvey grumbled. " _Use the hairs from Ambrosia. See for yourself._ "

"Okay," Cyborg thought and focused. Then he paused with complete shock.  _The cavern was filled with a yellow mist that crackled and seethed around them._   _Fae energy. Unbridled. Raw._   _It was here in this cave._  The triangular bubble created by Elvey's pendant and the soul-mated crowns was making a swathing path through the mist. Robin knew where to go, thanks to Elvey. There were various caverns here with false sections as a fail-safe, as Elvey said. Each pretty illusion covered each entrance to try and lure them away from safety. As they walked down the destined path, an odd thumping was heard. It sounded like a beating heart.

"Is that a heartbeat?" Raven asked.

" _Yes. The room is in the heart of the Earth Elemental, itself,_ " Elvey nodded. The small group was shocked again. " _It's the only place strong enough to hold the power I have collected and guarded. In truth, I didn't really collect it. It chose me. Anyways, stay close. Don't stray._ "

"Fae energy is yellow?" Raven asked now.

" _In high quantities, it is. In small spurts, it can be any color. You would think that it's blue, but that's only when it comes from the source. Like how a human's veins have red and blue veins. Think of Fae energy as yellow blood. It becomes blue when its used. Much like how blue veins bleed red blood when it hits the air. This yellow energy can treat unprotected flesh like a corrosive acid._

" _Also, remember what happened to that magician when I blew up the moon crystal in his face? If this place was exposed to the outside, a whole section of landscape could be torn asunder. It is one giant moon crystal,_ " Elvey explained. " _When I tap into this place, I use extreme caution. And I can only use artifacts from places that have been exposed to this type of energy. Anything that I do come across are few and far between. And they don't last very long. It's different with an internal magical well that one is born with. This place has no well. It's simply raw Fae energy._ "

" _With an internal well, it's instinctive to use and maintain. When it comes to raw Fae energy, you just need to know what you're doing. You can draw from it to replenish yourself, but only in very slight amounts. Anything more than ten moon crystals at a time can be destructive to our natural wells,_ " Jericho said, as Tintagel helped to explain. " _It's why only truly powerful Fae can approach this place. We don't need the Fae energy here. We can withstand it._ "

"Wow..." Cyborg said with amazement. Ambrosia listened calmly, as she walked with them. Aelfric knew how important it was to be here, and he didn't make a fuss with her. Even he knew that the magic here could be fatal to him. Letting his mother remain calm was the key to both of their survival.

"So...what's making this energy?" Beast Boy asked.

" _Most is from the Earth Elemental, itself. When we get to the heart, you'll see what makes the rest,_ " Elvey chuckled. They came up a rounded sphere-like room. Robin lightly placed his hand on it, and the sapphire eyes reappeared. " _I need to check on them. You know why. I may have need of something in there. I will not take all of it. Just a sliver. You have my word. If it can be returned, then it will be returned. If not, there will be plenty left over._ "

A purring sound resonated, and the door opened. In here, the mist was different. It was a light, fiery blue to show how intensely concentrated it was. If any of them left the protective shield, they wouldn't have time to scream. The very force of the mist could be felt pushing against the warding in the room, and the shielding was reacting by becoming stronger to resist it. Runic symbols glowed at full strength here to absorb and dispatch excess energy back into the earth.  _This was literally a heart of magic._  A good section of Fae energy was created here and given back to the world for magic to thrive for those that knew how to use it.

"I have never seen...such power..." Raven gasped. Her robe was in shock, and Raven clearly understood its concern. _It could be torn to pieces here._  Starfire was kept securely against Cyborg. Beast Boy was even grabbed to keep close, too.

"Don't become a magical form," Jericho muttered to him. "You may become overloaded."

"Right, dude..." Beast Boy agreed with a form of dumb-founded amazement. Robin led them up the only structure in the room. A simple table formed out of the very rock of the room was in the very center. On it were four crystals of nearly the same size that glowed fiercely with Fae energy. Each one was lightly hovering over their small spots that were runic pedestals. There was nothing else the room contained, and the blue mist emanated from the crystals in pulsing waves.

"What...are they...?!" Raven hissed.

" _Crystallized water from the moon,_ " Elvey smiled. " _It came from a meteor long ago. You could say that...these four crystals are a primary source of Fae power. They are exceptionally rare, cannot be duplicated, and extremely fragile. There are others, but just by these being together shows how powerful this Earth Elemental truly is._ "

"Directly from the moon?!" she gaped now.

" _Yes. As to how I acquired them, it was because of my magical focus. The Earth Elemental came to me. It knew that I would help assist and guard them. It also knew that I would not abuse its power. When my hill was formed, it found me. There are others, but none hold as much power, or are in such a vast quantity. If I removed these crystals, they would shatter. The Earth Elemental would die of magic loss, and the world would lose an ancient and powerful guardian. Most of our powers would disappear, too, from lack of magical focus. If Sinlus tried to find these on his own, he would have no chance. He would be ripped apart. He does not have the focus needed to walk through the caverns, much less stand in the presence of the crystals,_ " Elvey smirked. " _Not even Sinlus could touch me directly._ "

"That's why you had to kill yourself?" Starfire frowned sadly.

" _Yes,_ " he sighed. Each crystal was roughly the size of Cyborg's enclosed fist. Robin let Elvey take complete control of his mind to keep him safe. He whispered a word of power in a gentle way, and a responding crystal flickered with understanding. It volunteered to assist.

"Are they sentient?" Raven asked.

" _They are,_ " Elvey nodded. " _You could say that this is the core of the Earth Elemental, too. I am taking a mere fraction of its power with me. It can be called to assist as a last resort aid against the Unseelie Court. If Ambrosia is threatened with Jericho, they can retreat here. As long as they have a sliver of one crystal, they will be immune to the raw energy that emanates here. The Unseelie Court cannot withstand such power. Even as a whole. Comprised mainly of souls, they would deteriorate like a dust devil losing wind power. They know not to trifle with this power. Since the crystal agreed to help us, the piece it will give me is like a protective token. It will shield whoever possesses it, but only those that it agreed to protect. In this case, it will protect me, King Jericho, and my daughter with Aelfric._ "

"Just like interfering with a soul-mated crown," Jericho muttered.

"So...the crystals are the elemental?" Beast Boy blinked.

" _I'll explain in a moment,_ " Elvey said, as he carefully traced over the responding crystal. Of its own accord, it shed off a small sliver of itself for him. Even a mere sliver radiated with such unbridled, raw power that Raven's robe seemed to shudder. " _Cyborg. I'm going to need a favor from you._ "

"Yes?" he asked.

" _I am going to have Ambrosia conjure up a small lump of mithril. It will tax her, so you will need to work with what is offered. When we get back to the surface, that is. She can't risk doing it here, since the shield is in effect, and I don't want the shield to vanish. I cannot teleport us, either. We have to walk out the way we came in. If I try to use any other magic here, it may kill us by amplifying the effect or sending us elsewhere. The shield works, since it's being amplified around us to counter the energy in its own way. As for this sliver of crystal, I need you to make a pendant for this. As one that doesn't use magic, you can do this,_ " Elvey said carefully. " _I will have to hold onto the sliver, though. I can give you the dimensions to use as a mold. I know how to handle this. You don't._ "

"That's why you did the shield!" Raven said with amazement. "It got stronger!"

" _Yes. Now we are done here. Let's leave,_ " Elvey said. " _As we walk, I'll talk about the creation of elementals. Okay? It will help pass the time._ "

"Okay!" Beast Boy nodded.

"So, I can't touch the sliver?" Cyborg frowned.

" _It may explode on you,_ " Elvey muttered softly. " _We can't have that. The sliver was given to me directly from the crystal. As I said before, only King Jericho and my daughter are able to handle it._ "

"Okay. You hold it," Cyborg grimaced. Elvey chuckled and began to lead them out.

"So, the elementals?" Beast Boy grinned his fanged grin.

" _Yes, yes,_ " Elvey smiled. " _Like I said, the crystals are comprised of water frozen directly from the moon, itself. When the first, and last, moon crystal meteor fell, it shattered onto the Earth and split into multiple fragments. Fragments that landed in fire become Fire Elementals. Water Elementals were born when fragments pierced the waves. Wind Elementals were formed from the crystallized particles that were large enough to float in the wind. And, Earth Elementals were the most common, at the time. Wind Elementals are the weakest, though. They are seldom seen anymore._ "

"Because of how small the crystals are," Raven blinked at her robe's insight.

" _Yes,_ " Elvey nodded, as he led them out. " _Water Elementals are the next that are most common, as the water formed around the water crystals. You would think they were the most common, but even a water crystal can melt like ice in warm water. Fire is the third most common, but harder to find, because most of the crystals melted near extreme heat. This Earth Elemental is the strongest of them all. Four crystals landed in the same proximity as you saw them just now. The crystals became sentient, built up their place of safety, hence the runes, and awakened the Earth Elemental we are in now._ "

"I thought that Earth Elementals were created summons," Cyborg frowned.

" _If one knows how to separate a crystal of its own free will, it is possible to plant it into the earth to have another elemental appear. It's a very risky practice, thought. The elemental can only grow as powerful as the crystal given to it,_ " Elvey explained.

"So...how big is this guy? The one that's helping us?" Beast Boy asked.

" _Hmm..._ " Elvey thought.

"This Earth Elemental is large enough that it can dwarf five of your largest states," Ambrosia smiled. Now the others looked at her with a show of amazement.

"How did you come up with that?" Jericho asked with a smile.

"It told me," she beamed. Now Robin looked at her with surprise. "I am a being of Nature. So is an elemental. It...wants to help protect me, too. It's why it allowed us to come here. Huh?!"

"Ambrosia?" Jericho asked, as she paused with surprise. A brilliant, dark blue star sapphire the size of her palm fell into her hands from the ceiling, and she blushed. Now Elvey had Robin gaping with shock.  _The Earth Elemental gave over a gem. It was never recorded for an elemental to do such a thing._

"I need to fashion this into the form of a pendant, too," she said softly. "The Earth Elemental...it mourns for my loss of years. It still mourns for King Elvey's death. Even for Mother and Father. It...sort of saw us as family. Even though they are reborn through us, just knowing what happened has it in a state of mourning. Jericho, dear? Robin? Hold out your hands, please."

They both blinked at her, but did so. The same gems fell into their hands, and they stood with complete shock at this.  _The Earth Elemental was taking another step to safeguard them._ Just as Tintagel could see through moon crystals, the Earth Elemental could see through the gems it gave over. The moment any of them were in danger, it would intervene. By any means necessary. It didn't want them lost ever again, and this was an exceptionally rare honor to be given.

" _Thank you..._ " Elvey whispered with complete and utmost respect. " _The ones here also safeguard Ambrosia. Beast Boy is her personal protector, too. As much as the other Titans are worthy, the ones with us now assist with everything they have._ "

"That we do," Cyborg nodded. Ambrosia blinked and gestured for them to hold out their hands for the same gems to fall for them. "I'll make necklaces for these the moment we get back."

"How beautiful! Thank you!" Starfire beamed with joy. A heavy purr filled the air around them, and they continued to walk the way they came in.

"I will not abuse your gift. You have my vow," Raven smiled. Her robe was incredibly happy by this.  _The gem could even assist as a focus point for magic that it could rely on._

"The Earth Elemental can commune with you through the gem, if you learn how. I'm sure that King Elvey may have a book on it," Ambrosia smiled.

" _Have Robe show you where to look,_ " Elvey advised Raven.

"First thing," she nodded to him. "An elemental's wisdom of any kind is always trusted."

"That it is," Jericho smiled. They finally reached the gaping mouth when it reopened, and they were let out. Elvey turned Robin's body to nod with respect to the elemental again as it reformed into the library wall. The shielding was released, and everyone relaxed.

"That was intense," Beast Boy chuckled.

" _And very needed,_ " Elvey agreed. "Okay, guys. It's me, Robin. Cyborg, the gems we were given are all the same size. We need pendants for them. Any metal will work as long as it's silver, gold, or platinum. Silver may be best, though. When Ambrosia is settled in her castle, she'll need to make us the mithril for the sliver I have. I can have Jericho draw out the dimensions for you."

"First thing back at the Tower," Cyborg nodded. He was teleported there quickly.

"Star and Raven. Study what you can about the elementals. I gotta help Ambrosia get home. Aelfric behaved himself, but who knows when he'll act up again," Robin sighed.

"It is fine!" Starfire smiled. He hugged her tight and let her move off to start book hunting.

"Do I go with you guys?" Beast Boy asked.

"You could help me look for books," Raven said to him. "If you want."

"It's something to do!" he grinned at her. She chuckled and watched him fly off in sparrow form.

"My robe is reflecting on everything. It thinks it may be able to commune with the elemental directly in time. I'll be assisting with that," Raven nodded.

"Okay. The rest of the night should be uneventful. Hopefully. I'll inform all allied Fae of what happened," Jericho nodded. They all nodded silently to each other. After that, Jericho and Robin took Ambrosia back to the Ireland castle to rest and recharge in her bedroom. As she rested with her husband after giving Robin some much needed nectar, Robin had Elvey take on the task to contact the allied Fae. The Kings were the first on his list.

" _King Ealdun,_ " Elvey said through the scrying ball of blue light.

"Present!" was the response. Everything was relayed quickly to him, and the old King was in complete shock. At the mere feel of the crystal sliver through the scrying ball, the outrageous shock of his next outburst was given. "It was  _willingly_  given over?!"

" _Yes. And the Earth Elemental gave me a gem of its own accord, too,_ " Robin nodded.

"Amazing! At least Queen Ambrosia will be safe," Ealdun said with a sigh of relief.

" _Of course,_ " he chuckled. " _She's resting with King Jericho right now._ "

"As she should be! What is the next course of action?"

" _Cyborg is making pendant clasps. After that, we'll see what happens. Possible ways to communicate with the Earth Elemental are being searched for, too._ "

"I'll see what my libraries hold. I doubt much, but every bit helps."

" _That it does,_ " Robin agreed. " _I'll talk to you soon._ "

"The very same!" Ealdun said. The other Kings contacted held the same reaction. They were in awe that an elemental willingly gave over its help. After all the other calls were done, Robin sat back with a heavy sigh. He was exhausted. Then he moved quickly to the bed when Aelfric needed him.

" _Sleep, Robin. You really need it,_ " Elvey muttered to him. "Right. I'll sleep."

Keeping his hand on her belly, as he got comfortable, he closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

He woke up in the dream world. His hand was still on Ambrosia's belly, and Jericho was helping him keep Aelfric calm. Ambrosia still looked exhausted, but she felt much better. Tintagel, Esmiralda, and Elvey were standing with them and looked overjoyed.

"About time you showed up!" Jericho chuckled. "I was about to wake up and get you."

"I had to inform the others of what happened, okay?" Robin sighed.

"We are all here now," Ambrosia beamed. "What do you think of everything, Father?"

"The elemental has granted us aid. Such a thing is unheard of," Elvey chuckled.

"And a crystal willingly gave over a piece of itself," Tintagel added.

"Well, we have always treated the elementals with much respect. We are lucky that it was that one that found you, Elvey, dear. It is a wonderful ally," Esmiralda twinkled. "There was another reason that it gave over its gems, too. It did not want my daughter to say why."

"Oh?" Tintagel blinked. Esmiralda nodded to her daughter, and they both focused. A mountain suddenly shifted into appearance, and the shape of a massive humanoid figure took shape.  _The Earth Elemental wanted to help them train in their dreams._  Elvey's jaw dropped. Tintagel was completely stunned. Even Robin and Jericho had no idea as to what to expect now.

" _I...AM...HERE..._ " it rumbled slowly in a grating tone. One of its hands could have easily smashed the dream gazebo flat, but it merely leaned over gently to show that it wanted to help. Its shadow dwarfed the entire area they stood in rather neatly before it backed away.

"You may commune with us," Esmiralda smiled. "We can talk for you, if it is needed."

It nodded and looked at Ambrosia to speak for it. "Earth would like to help us train. Ah, it does know that Robin and my husband cannot train right now. So, it has decided to see what my Fathers can do together against it. I honestly don't know what all to expect..."

"It wants us...to go up...against it?!" Elvey said with disbelief.

"In a sense?" Ambrosia giggled. Esmiralda clucked her tongue at her husband's look of intense shock. It wasn't easy to catch him by surprise. This had him floored. The elemental's body comprised mainly of a mountain, but patches of moss and stark crystals made up its outline. Small trees jutted out in various craggy corner joints, and straggles of moss hung down like a heavy beard over its face. The moss even seemed to come down around its head like a balding old man with long, unkempt hair. The two, massive, sapphire eyes blinked at them all with amusement. Then it grinned its heavy, gold-tinted mouth with a form of joy. It rumbled another purr and tilted its massive head at them.

"Ah...how do we train against you?" Tintagel asked now. In response, it looked over to an expanse of land and easily shifted it into a flat, dry field of dirt. "Oh..."

"I think it will make an obstacle course for us, brother," Elvey grimaced.

"Yes. It knows that magic cannot really be used right now. So, it will be a test of physical skill," Ambrosia nodded. "I shall watch with Mother, Robin, and Jericho from the gazebo."

"For the first time in a long time, I'm nervous," Tintagel swallowed.

"You aren't the only one," Elvey admitted. Then the Earth Elemental thought and looked at Esmiralda. Now she paled and coughed at what the elemental wanted to do next. "Essi? When you look like that, it can't be good..."

"How would you both feel..." she started slowly. "if other elementals appeared?"

"WHAT?!" Tintagel gaped with disbelief.

"I second that question!" Elvey hissed with shock. Robin and Jericho had their jaws dropped. Ambrosia was simply sighing with a soft smile.

" _I...CALL...MY...BROTHERS..._ " the Earth Elemental rumbled. The feel of raw Fae energy slapped at them all, as it called forth the strongest it could sense. A lake appeared for a Water Elemental to rise up with an elegant form of grace and beauty, much like a female dancer. A tornado appeared to show a menacing face within it, as the Wind Elemental took form. Then a small volcano formed and erupted for the Fire Elemental to show. It crossed its arms over its chest and gave a smug look, as it smoldered with ash and stunk of brimstone.

"Don't worry," Esmiralda said, as she regained herself. "They won't test you all at once. At least right away. The other three want to see how you fair against Earth first. Then they will each test you one at a time with each dream. They all feel that...it's very important. That it's needed."

"Well..." Tintagel said, as he finally found himself able to breathe. "what do you think, brother? Do you think we can do this as we are?"

"It's dangerous with the way Robin's mind is," Elvey frowned. "I'm...shocked that they are here and we are still here. That the dream world didn't shatter."

"You forget, Elvey, dear," Esmiralda chuckled. "This realm is now upheld by soul-mated crowns with powerful wells. It is not just Robin anymore. It is even more so with Robin being our daughter's human. It is fairly easy for my crown to be his link here now to assist."

"That's true!" Tintagel blinked. "So, it may be safe for me to use magic. It could be risky for you, Elvey. Unless we have Ambrosia assist with small boosts from her well."

"I will not have her do that," Elvey frowned. "My pendant can help, if sparingly. We cannot have Aelfric drain her. If she gives over her magic, and he needs her..."

"He speaks truth," Esmiralda nodded. "It would not be safe."

"Very well. I'll stick with mainly physical attacks with a mild shield spell, if needed. It will cost nothing to my pendant," Elvey nodded.

"Agreed," Tintagel nodded. The other elementals understood the risk and also agreed. When it was safer to use more magic, they would do so.

"I am confused, though," Ambrosia admitted.

"About what, my Queen?" Robin asked.

"Why do they insist on helping us now?" she asked.

"Remember, my daughter," Esmiralda smiled. "The Unseelie Court has irked them, too. Though they are not of the Seelie Court, they only wish to be left alone. They want to show that they are allied with us, too. That they are not going to sit idly by any longer. These four elementals here are the most powerful of them all. They are here to help us train in vital ways against any elements that the Unseelie Court may throw at us. Either magical or natural. This is why they are here."

"I should have the other Titans here, too," Robin sighed. "I don't know what tests they'll have to go up against. I don't know who will be challenged."

"You bring up a rather strong point," Elvey frowned. "As long as you are not the only one maintaining this dream world, it may be possible to bring others in. However, we should see what the elementals do first. You can suggest to the Titans of possible dream vision training. See who all would like to do this. It may be difficult for some to get here, but, if they insist on being here, they will appear. Much like how Bruce did, they will need to sleep with a moon crystal either under a pillow, or at their side. It could be beneficial for Raven, Jinx, and Herald as High Warlocks, come to think of it. Even Beast Boy to know how to protect you better. See what they say when you talk to them again."

"I can do that," Robin nodded. "What do we do now?"

"We get tested on our ability to dodge," Tintagel winced. The Earth Elemental purred with agreement, and a dirt bridge appeared. Elvey and him started to walk onto it to the dirt expanse of land, and he said as he called back, "Stay here and keep Ambrosia safe. We can't have her hurt!"

At this being said, the Water Elemental whispered softly for a very thin, yet impenetrable shield of water to coat over the gazebo. Then the Wind Elemental sent a blast of chilling wind over to freeze it solid. They were safe under a clear coat of protective ice now and able to see through it like a window. Elvey and Tintagel found themselves gaping with complete shock and amazement. Esmiralda took in a small intake of breath, but she was smiling warmly.

"I guess they will all be protected," Elvey said with a small swallow. The show of power the elementals were giving out was incredible.  _And it was all from raw Fae energy._  It was instinctive for them to know how to use it. Tintagel gave him a nervous grin, and they both managed to make their way to the dirt field. The Earth Elemental studied them curiously and snorted. It didn't even bother to wait for them to ready themselves when it dug its fingers into the earth for the ground to sudden erupt with sharp spiked rocks. The small, rumbling earthquakes below their feet quickly alerted them.

"Look out!" Tintagel shouted, as they leapt aside. Another towering spike appeared and weakened at the base to fall and crush them. Elvey darted aside limberly with Tintagel, as it crashed down. Robin and Jericho were watching with complete shock once again.

"We need to run up to it!" Elvey growled and dodged another spike that emerged.

"Understood!" Tintagel nodded. Now they both methodically worked together to dodge and jump over random spikes. When the ground suddenly shifted and lifted them up, a small bit of magic was used to safely jump down. Speed was increased to jump over a forming gap. They darted around the crazed obstacles with intense unison. This was the challenge they needed.  _They were enjoying it._

"They look like they're actually having fun!" Robin said with amazement.

"They are," Esmiralda nodded. Ambrosia wanted to sleep, but she was too enthralled with what her fathers were doing. She never got to really see them train before. _Tintagel had actually worked up a sweat!_ When a wall of rock suddenly exploded from the ground, they both had grabbed onto the ledge to haul themselves up. They dodged and slid past various cascading rocks and crystals, as they formed and shattered. Minor shielding spells were used to keep the debris from hindering them. When they finally reached the Earth Elemental, everything seemed to crumble down, as it gave out a grinding chuckle.

"We...got to it..." Elvey said and gasped for breath. "Incredible...!"

"I know..." Tintagel said, as he fell to his knees to rest. "I haven't...trained like that...in years!"

The Fire Elemental melted the ice around the gazebo now to show the training was over. With a single, massive hand, the two old Kings were transported back to the others by the Earth Elemental. It clearly enjoyed itself. At a glance at the Water Elemental, they knew who was next in line for the next dream training. Elvey and Tintagel both groaned as one, but even they knew the importance of this. With senses being honed and sharpened again, they would be on a much higher alert. It was desperately needed, and they both knew it would be stupid to refuse such an offer to train with them.

"Want to go back to training me, Father? It might be easier," Robin grinned.

"Shut up," Elvey muttered and got him into a mild headlock to show he was the better. Jericho laughed with Tintagel, and Ambrosia was giggling with her mother. When Robin was released with a rewarding scowl, Elvey smirked and said, "Just remember, my son. You may have a pass now due to my daughter's condition. However, once Aelfric is born, you're taking my place!"

"Ah...oh..." Robin blinked. That got Jericho laughing even more. At Ambrosia's small smile of agreement, they all embraced, and the dream ended.


	33. Chapter 33

They all woke up around the same time the Tower was waking up. Robin had to talk to the others about the dream training sessions that were to be offered to them. Even he knew how important it would be. He couldn't delay in it. The only problem was that he couldn't leave Ambrosia's side. He even left briefly to use the bathroom, and she asked for him! Everyone knew how rough it was. He had just dressed with Jericho and Ambrosia when a knock happened on the door.

"Robin?" Starfire asked when she flew into the bedroom.

"Star!" he winced. "What are you doing here? I was going to get Ambrosia to the meeting hall shortly. I was about to send out a dire message to everyone. Is everything okay?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I just wanted to talk to Elvey."

" _What do you need?_ " Elvey asked when he emerged. " _There is much that needs to be discussed. We cannot tarry for long. Time is of the essence now._ "

"I know," she sighed. "Um...can I get a hug from you?"

" _Starfire..._ " Elvey grimaced. " _you are desensitizing yourself from Robin. You have to remember to love him, too. Don't you remember what I told you last night?_ "

"Ah..." she blinked. "I am sorry. I just...I cannot stop thinking about you..."

" _As I was afraid that such a thing would happen. You need to remember Robin, too, you know. It can't be all about me. You are also a Titan. The safety of others should supersede your own emotions. You cannot let your emotions get in the way of your true purpose,_ " Elvey stressed gently. " _Yes, Robin also has this problem. It's why I refused to let him get in the way of Slade. Anger would have overruled his thoughts and actions. But, because you came to see me, I'll give you a hug on one condition._ "

"And that would be...?"

" _Clear your mind. Focus. Tell me exactly what bothers you. Tell me why you sought me out._ "

"Okay," she nodded. She took a deep breath and did as he said. Then she trembled with realization. "I...I am scared now..."

" _What do you fear?_ "

"I do love Robin...but..."

" _You love me more now. Don't you?_ "

"I...did not expect it..."

" _Unfortunately, I did. But, since I am still in Robin, you still need to love Robin. Your thoughts are conflicting now. It was the same with him and you. I did not want him to lose his love for you, and he has not. Yes, I do find you desirable. However, like I told you, there is only so much that I can do. I will do whatever I can to help you and Robin thrive. Just don't expect me to give you everything I can. At least...not while you are unmarried. Such a thing is not right. And you know this._ "

"I do know this..." she cringed.

" _And it hurts you to see Robin with Ambrosia. That is understandable,_ " he said gently.

"I am getting better about it," she admitted. "It does hurt, but I know that, in the end, Robin will always love me. I will always love Robin. He warned me, too, about everything. Um...Elvey...can you tell me something? I really would like to know."

" _Hmm. If I can answer, then I will,_ " he said warily.

"When did...Robin...start to love Ambrosia?" she asked. He gave a heavy sigh and pulled her close to hug tight. She found herself hugging him back and trembling.

" _It was when he first saw her that it happened,_ " he whispered. " _It was...inevitable for him. As a human, it was easy for him to become enthralled. It was something that couldn't be helped. She tried to remove herself from his life to keep from hurting you. She doesn't want you to hurt. But...he wouldn't let her leave. He tried to fight the emotions. He failed. He still loves you dearly, and Ambrosia will not allow him to lose his love for you. I will not let him lose his love for you, either._ "

"Thank you," she whimpered. "For having Robin still love me and be my suitor."

" _He would be missing a vast portion of his life, if he left you. I will not see him suffer so. No one would want that. You don't deserve that. I refuse to watch you get torn apart like my Queen did. I would never want that to happen to you. I will do everything that I can to keep that from happening._ "

"I love you, Elvey," she whispered. Now he cringed and shivered. "I...um...I know you cannot say anything. That you love Esmiralda. But...just know that I do love you and Robin the same."

" _Starfire...!_ " Elvey hissed and kissed her desperately. She was caught completely by surprise at this, and, once again, the sensation of floating was given to her. The only difference was that the sensation never left. This kiss was deep and intense. She never got kissed by him like this yet. He wasn't going to break off the kiss as quickly as the others he gave her before, either. He wasn't even planning on kissing her. The need to do it to ease her pain was too great to ignore. _She was just like Aethelwyne with her emotions and thoughts._

" _Elvey! Stop!_ " Jericho said, as Tintagel rushed over. " _She's had enough!_ "

" _Ah!_ " Elvey gasped and had Robin take over quickly to dull the sensations. Robin was able to bring Starfire back around with a kiss of his own. "Star! Are you okay?"

"Robin...?" she blinked herself awake. "I...what happened?"

"Elvey kissed you," he said softly. "He doesn't like to see you hurt so much."

"He did?!" she gasped.

"Yes. He cares about you, Star. He really does. But, this is why he can't do anything until we get married. He doesn't want to make you feel bad," Robin carefully explained.

" _Now you see why we must take precautions on Elvey trying to comfort you,_ " Jericho sighed. " _He can really distort the senses of any woman. It can't be helped. He needs Robin to be safely married to you for him to show how much he fully cares. Maybe after the tests something can be done. All right? Right now we have to focus on the here and now._ "

"I love you, Star," Robin swallowed, as he hugged her tight. "I really do."

"And I love you, Robin," she whimpered, as the tears overcame her. He held her and let her cry out her frustrations. He knew that she needed this, too.

_:Starfire is hurting?:_  Ambrosia mentally frowned.

_:Yes, my Queen. She loves Elvey as much as me now. He kissed her and distorted her thoughts when she got upset. She was hurting, and he felt awful. She reminded him of his lost Queen from long ago. The reaction to kiss her was unexpected. I...don't know what all I can do for her. I truly don't know what I can tell her to make her feel better.:_  Robin mentally sighed.

_:I have an idea! Tell her of the dream training now! That she can watch how King Elvey can protect her in a training dream. She should be with us when we all sleep next time. This way, she can still be with him and us. It will make her feel better and feel that much more important:_  Ambrosia advised.

"Star," Robin said gently to get her attention. "Tonight, when we all sleep, I want you to watch what happens in a training dream. Okay? I'm going to have quite a few others do this, too. I can't really train with Jericho because of Aelfric, but Elvey and Tintagel have been training for us. We watch them train to get new ideas. They plan to test us on how much we paid attention, too, after Aelfric is born."

"You will let me watch?!" she gasped with happiness.

"Of course!" he grinned and got hugged again. "It may be needed, too. You may be asked to help train to get some new ideas against Blackfire."

"Yes. It would good for me," she agreed. He kissed her lovingly and held her hand, as he led her back over to Ambrosia. With his other hand resting on her belly, Ambrosia nodded to them both with a soft smile. Starfire beamed at her with a small grin and got pulled into a tight hug with her. Then she thought and said, "Friend Ambrosia, um, did you really try to leave Robin?"

"I did," Ambrosia nodded. "I didn't want to keep hurting you. I tried to pull myself away from his life. But...he could not let me leave. If I left him now, it would be dangerous for me. And he needs the nectar I can produce. Yes, he wanted to belong to me, but I refuse to let him forget about you. I do see you as a dear sister. I do not want you to be hurt at any cost. And, if you think it may be easier, you could always live in my castle home to be closer to Robin. I do not mind at all."

"Oh! I think I would like that," Starfire beamed.

"In the castle, itself?" Jericho chuckled. He started to lead them to the meeting hall.

"We have plenty of empty chambers," Ambrosia nodded. "and she assists me when I need it. She was my bridesmaid, too. She is beneficial to me."

"Very true!" Robin smiled. "Oh, Star, when Elvey's castle is built, he's offering to let us live there, too. If we want some time to ourselves, that is."

"Really?!" Starfire gasped with delight. "Is it beautiful?!"

" _It will be when the repairs are done,_ " Elvey chuckled through Robin. " _My bedroom can easily rival King Jericho's room. And I don't mind you adding things from your home planet, too._ "

She blushed at him, and Ambrosia gave an approving smile to everything. On reaching the meeting hall, Beast Boy flew over in a sparrow form to perch on her shoulder. When they got to the meeting room and settled in, Jericho sent out a mass message to the Titans and royal Fae. The response was quick, as many appeared to settle in.

"King Jericho?" Ealdun asked and made his way over. King Warren and King Elvin were quick to join up. "For what reason is this meeting?"

"You will find out momentarily," Jericho smiled. Aqualad and Bushido were seen settling in, and they didn't look very pleased. They would be spoken to when the moment presented itself. Only after the murmuring quieted down did Jericho stand to speak. "I thank you all for gathering here! As to why you have been called, it is because there is a new way for you all to train. I'm sure that you have all been told about Robin's dream training. Correct?"

"Yes," Cyborg nodded. Various others nodded, too.

"The dream training is going to be open to all. However, it's only when Robin, Ambrosia, and myself sleep at the same time that it will happen. Here is my reason. There are powerful elementals that want to help us all train. They feel it is needed," Jericho chuckled.

"What?!" Elvin gaped.

"The elementals, themselves, are insisting?!" Ealdun said with amazement.

"Yes," Robin said, as he stood up for Elvey to speak. " _The Earth Elemental was...quite convincing about it. Especially when Tintagel and I had to dodge falling rocks and realized how out of shape we really were..._ "

" _I actually broke a sweat,_ " Tintagel admitted through Jericho. That had Ealdun gaping.

"Oh..." Bumblebee gaped.

" _Raven, Jinx, and Herald. It is important that you all appear for this. Your robes could use the training, too,_ " Tintagel chuckled. The three of them looked at each other and swallowed. Their robes reflected their nervousness. Kole rose up to speak, and the room quieted down.

"What does an elemental look like?" she asked.

" _I can call the Earth Elemental, but mildly,_ " Robin nodded. Elvey took out the small crystal sliver, and the whole room gasped and cringed at the power that radiated from it. A pressure had quickly filled the entire room, as an eerie blue mist pulsed from the tiny shard. Then he took out his blue star sapphire and focused. A wall seemed to waver, as the giant, massive set of sapphire eyes blinked open. Jaws dropped to the floor. The Earth Elemental gave out a purring chuckle.

" _That's not even its full body,_ " Jericho said with a shrug.

"It looks huge..." Speedy gaped.

"Yes. It can shadow several mountains," Ambrosia nodded. The set of massive eyes looked over to her with concern. "Oh, no! You are not at fault. I am just drained. You know how this pregnancy is. There is much that we need to be prepared for. Your help is greatly needed."

" _There is only so much that it can do, but it does want to help with its brothers. And, no, I am not calling them here. That would be too much,_ " Elvey said.

"What other elementals are there?" Bushido asked.

" _Fire, Wind, and Water,_ " Jericho grinned. " _And all four will want to test us in time. All for training. They also want to stop the Unseelie Court as much as they can._ "

"What is an elemental?" Aqualad asked. Elvey got their attention and explained their origins. It was the same thing that Beast Boy heard with the others in the cave. Many were in shock that the elementals were made when the Earth was first being formed.

"Now you all know. Oh, Aqualad," Jericho said, as he stood up. "what did you find out with Bushido? Do we have an idea of who was unfrozen?"

"We saw that Gizmo was freed," Bushido said grimly. Cyborg groaned, but let him continue. "I did not see Katarou, but I am unsure if he was frozen or not. It was the same with Cheshire. Trident was frozen and now missing. We know of Control Freak being free. Also...Madam Rouge was freed."

"What?!" Hot Spot scowled. "Impossible!"

"She was gone," Aqualad frowned. "I'm not too thrilled about Trident, either."

" _And I already confronted Slade,_ " Elvey mused. " _And Blackfire showed up. We'll figure out what we need to do. At least we have a general idea. This is why the elementals want to help us. They know it's needed. It may be best for everyone to watch me and Tintagel fight against Water, Fire, and Wind._ "

"Why not Earth?" Ambrosia frowned.

" _It already happened. They'll have to expect the unexpected, if they train against Earth,_ " Elvey grinned a touch wickedly. The Earth Elemental purred out a chuckle of agreement. _If they miss a training spar, they have to figure it out on their own._

"What do we do, if my Father shows up?" Raven asked with a hard frown.

" _I doubt he will,_ " Elvey said wisely. " _Your father is too powerful for them to contact. Also, you're a High Warlock. You are a judge to the tests. You are immune. Same with Jinx and Herald. That is always known. A High Warlock can destroy Unseelie souls. They won't risk bringing you into a test._ "

"Now that's a form of relief," Herald nodded.

"And it is true," Ealdun grinned. "The last time a High Warlock was tested, the Unseelie soul was tortured and destroyed. The pain it felt was echoed throughout the Court. They won't touch a High Warlock. They made a pact, now that I think about it. Neutrality to them at all times."

"Good!" Jinx smiled.

"But...I won't be immune, huh?" Kid Flash frowned.

"Likely not," Jericho nodded. "You may want to consider training in the dreams that happen."

"I plan on it," he agreed. Then he sped over to Jinx's side to press a kiss to her cheek and squeeze her. She blushed and giggled. "And, if you'll be watching and training with me, I'll do everything I can to do well!"

"You can plan on that," Jinx agreed. "I would expect nothing less."

"What's our next course of action?" Cyborg asked. "Oh! Never mind. Here."

"Huh? Ah! Thanks!" Robin grinned, as he was given over the pendant settings for the star sapphires. "Jericho, can you draw out the sliver dimensions? We may as well have Ambrosia conjure up that mithril. We need it done."

The Earth Elemental gave out a small tremor of protest. Ambrosia frowned at what it thought to her, and she said, "It does not want me to do anything. So, it...oh! It has a gift for us, instead."

"What gift?" Jericho frowned. She gestured for him to hold out his hands, and he did. A tiny lump of mithril fell into them. His jaw dropped.

"It...does not want me to summon any form of metals or gems," she said with a soft smile. "It was saving that small piece. It has a few more pieces, but that should be enough."

" _It...had...mithril..._ " Elvey said with amazement.

"Remember how old it is?" she giggled. He ran a hand over his face, and Jericho gave the precious lump to Cyborg. Once it was taken, Cyborg watched Jericho sketch out the dimensions of the crystal sliver. When that was given over, Cyborg left quickly to work on the clasp.

"Here," Robin said gently to her, as he handed her a bowl of Fae honey ice cream. She ate quickly and sighed with contentment when she cleaned it out. She was starting to get drowsy again, and Jericho was quick to let her lean on his shoulder.

"Sleep if you must. It's fine," he smiled and kissed her forehead. She nodded slightly and closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. Beast Boy reformed to his human self and frowned.

"She gets way too tired," he frowned.

"It can't be helped," Jericho frowned back. "As for the training sessions, well, nothing will happen until tonight. Even I don't know what other enemies will appear next."

"I know it. All right! Everyone is dismissed!" Robin said to them all.

"Robin, how do we get into the dream training?" Hot Spot asked.

" _Ah! Put a charged blue moon crystal either under your pillows, or near you as you sleep. It will be easier to find you all!_ " Elvey announced.

"Okay!" Speedy nodded. The Titans were all on edge from the various enemies that were released, but they knew that none of them could be attacked yet. _The bit from Blackfire proved it._ When Jericho and Robin woke Ambrosia mildly to take her back to the bedroom, Starfire followed them.

"What should I expect from my sister?" she asked.

"Remember how she was before and go off of that," Robin suggested. "It's really all I can tell you. Even I don't know what Slade will pull. It's almost as though the Unseelie Court was able to find our most direct enemies of each other. You know? I wonder how they pulled that off."

"The Unseelie have eyes and ears everywhere," Ambrosia said with a soft frown. "They learn whatever they wish when the opportunity presents itself. Such a thing is always known."

"And we won't know anything until they plan to strike again," Robin sighed. "I hate that."

"As we all do," Jericho nodded. Starfire frowned, and Beast Boy shrugged. Raven, Jinx, and Herald were trying to communicate with the Earth Elemental. It hadn't left, and it was eager to see if it could talk to them through their robes. While they worked with that, something else was happening in the city. In a run-down basement of an old building, technical parts and wires were hooked up to a central machine. A small kid was typing quickly on the keyboard in front of him.

He was wearing goggles, a green full-piece jumpsuit, and it held various computer components all over it. A small control box was on his chest, and a large backpack was connected to it on his back. It appeared to hold a variety of weapons, gadgets, and other electronic tools and equipment. He scratched at his bald head and fixed his goggles a bit more.

"I was frozen for too long!" the boy scowled. "All those untouchable games out there will be mine! The video world will once again know the wrath of Gizmo!"

He was so intent on his downloads that he failed to notice the shadow that appeared behind him. He did hear the small snicker that came in the direction of the massive bundle of power cables, though. The kid squealed and darted in front of them with a hiss of irritation.

"Hi. I need to talk to you. Before you get busy," Sinlus snickered, as he appeared in full. "You should remember me. I freed you."

"So what?!" Gizmo scowled. "I'm busy! Get away from there, slug-face!"

"If you don't hear me out, then I'll rip your precious machine into pieces," the otherworldly man grinned. "So, if you hear me out, then I'll leave you alone."

"I don't have to!" he said stubbornly. Then he squealed when he found himself lifted and hung upside down in the air by invisible strings.

"How about now?" Sinlus said with a twisted grin.

"Okay! Okay!" the kid shouted and got dropped carelessly. Then, to ensure Sinlus had the boy's attention, he leaned down and ripped the power cables from the wall sockets. All of the computer equipment died, and Gizmo shrieked with horror.

"I'm over a thousand years old. Do you want to see what else I can do?" Sinlus smirked with a form of sick glee. Gizmo paled. "Now listen up. I freed you. You left before we could talk. I tracked you down. Easily. I want to give you a chance to do something...fun..."

"Oh?" Gizmo asked now. The enthrallment was now being spun with his next set of words.

"You like the Titans?" Sinlus asked.

"No!"

"Want to mess them up?"

"Who wouldn't?" Gizmo snorted.

"I can give you the chance to do it. Want to?"

"What's in it for me?"

"You can humiliate them."

"Hmm. Can I pick who I wanna mess up?"

"That depends. But, shake my hand without your glove on, and I can see what can be done. What do you say?" Sinlus asked. Gizmo blinked and frowned.

"I dunno."

"You don't want to give them a form of crushing humility that you actually beat them?"

"Do I have to go up against all of them?"

"No. Just one. Then, if it goes well, you could be given stronger powers and objects to continuously kick them with while they're down."

"Hmm..." Gizmo mused. "Okay. I'll bite."

He took off his gloved hand and shook Sinlus's hand. Then he yelped at the sudden pain he felt and looked at his palm. His jaw dropped at the new backwards moon crest. Sinlus gave out a nasty, twisted grin of complete triumph and amusement. Then he turned his back to the small kid and simply said, "Nice to do business with you. You will know when to approach them. Don't go after them until the time calls for it. Toodles!"

"Wait! You tricked me!" Gizmo screamed, as he jumped up and down. When he went to attack Sinlus, his hand jolted with pain to make him cry out. He shook his hand as though it was on fire and it got burned. He panted and had his eyes wide with disbelief. Sinlus simply turned to look over his shoulder at the kid and smirked.

"No one said you had to shake my hand. Right?" the older being snickered. "Not my fault that you did. Grow up. Deal with it. If you do well for us, then you'll get the powers I told you about."

"Us? What?" Gizmo asked now. Two sprites from the Unseelie Court appeared, and the kid actually found himself shaking from the evil that leaked from them.

_"Tis a spoiled brat!"_

_"Just another gnat."_

_"But, the Titans are irked!"_

_"Oh, how we all smirk!"_

_"A test this one gives..."_

_"We'll see if he lives..."_

_"And, if he should fail?"_

_"Oh, how we will wail!"_

_"Now Sinlus of Zee..."_

_"Leave this boy be!"_

"As you command," Sinlus nodded. Then he vanished. Gizmo found himself at a loss. For the first time in his life, he was scared. He was terrified. He forced himself to calm down, and he refocused on what he had to do. Looking down at his palm, he cringed.

"Okay. I'm gonna get my games first. Then I'll...um...I'll go after those Titans! Yeah! Those crud-munchers won't know what hit 'em!" Gizmo said to himself to boost his own confidence. There was only one problem. Even as he plugged everything back in, that single tremor of doubt had settled in his mind. He knew he was trapped. And he agreed to it.


	34. Chapter 34

Ambrosia was sleeping deeply in the bed. She had eaten two full bowls of the hearty ice cream to fully satisfy her intense hunger pains. As Robin and Jericho rested in the bed along each side of her, Jericho rose up his head with irritation.

" _Brother?_ " Elvey asked.

" _Titan's Grove has a visitor. Is it nightfall now?_ " Tintagel frowned.

" _I honestly don't know anymore,_ " he chuckled. " _It's hard to keep track of the days and nights._ "

" _All too true,_ " Tintagel sighed. " _Hmm. Ah. It's becoming dusk there. Just the turn of the night. That explains how a Fae got there so easily..._ "

" _A Fae? Who?_ " he now asked with concern.

" _Appears to be an Elder,_ " Jericho blinked now and sent over an image.

" _That's Foster. I remember him from the message I sent him,_ " Robin growled. " _What does he want? How did he find out about the grove?_ "

" _I'm sure he traced the magic. He's waiting for the hill to open. We can't leave Ambrosia. Her pregnancy may drain her, if we do. And I don't want to wake her up. Hmm..._ "

" _We can't contact Beast Boy._ Oh! I got this," Robin smiled and took up his communicator.

"Robin?" Raven asked, as she answered.

"Raven. Get Jinx and Herald. Someone's at Titan's Grove. Appears to be an Elder Fae that sent a message to us that he was a King, but he's not. With you three around, it should make him cooperate."

"Seriously? What an idiot! Oh. I do remember that messenger. Okay. Jericho can track us with the moon crystals. Oh! Cyborg finished the mithril clasp. He'll bring it to you when ready," she said.

" _Excellent! And that reminds me. Was Robe able to speak with Earth?_ " Jericho asked now.

"Yes. Rather easily, much to its surprise!" she chuckled.

"Ask Earth if it can help you. I'm not sure if it can. Different land mass and all," Robin mused.

"Will do!" Raven nodded. When the communicator cut off, Robin set it aside and rubbed Ambrosia's belly. The greeting kicks he got made him sigh.  _My son is safe and growing._  Jericho had his eyes closed, as he rested and monitored the moon crystals. Then he popped his eyes open.

"We need to be at the grove," Jericho muttered.

" _Why?_ " Elvey asked when he emerged.

"The Elder Fae is threatening Raven. Even when Robe appeared alive, he snubbed it," Jericho growled. Now Ambrosia was carefully woken with a soft nuzzle.

"Huh?!" she woke with a start and winced from the heard rush.

"My Queen, I'm sorry. We had to wake you," Robin said with a soft kiss to her temple. "It was too important. We all need to go to Titan's Grove."

"For what reason?" she sighed.

"Remember an Elder by the name of Foster?" Jericho asked. At the look of surprise, he nodded. "He snubbed Raven's robe. It's very pissed."

"Then let it take care of the issue," she smirked. "I have no qualms with it."

"We know you don't. But, others might," he sighed.

"My Queen, we'll be right at your side," Robin promised.

"Not much of a choice with that," she frowned. Her belly was swelling by leaps and bounds every day. She could easily run her hands under it now, and she had to wear the larger dresses for maternity. "Was Foster one of the few that signed the treaty?"

"No. He didn't even show up to the gala," Jericho smirked.

"Contact King Ealdun, King Warren, and King Elvin, please," she smiled. Elvey grinned with glee, as he did just that. The three royal Fae would now wait for them at the castle below the grove.

" _A Royal Court?_ " Tintagel mused.

" _Your idea, Essi?_ " Elvey chuckled.

" _Of course!_ " Esmiralda nodded. On a small thought, Beast Boy flew into the room and reformed to his human self. He was ready to help her.

"I learned how to change into one of those horses. They're really cool!" he grinned a fanged grin.

"How wonderful!" Ambrosia smiled. "We'll try it later. Right now, Robe is about to plaster another Fae to a tree. As much as I don't want to, we have to stop it."

"I wanna bite him!" he snorted.

"If it comes down to it, then fine," Robin nodded. "My Queen? Can you lift yourself up? I'll carry you a bit to help you."

"My back...is so stiff..." she cringed.

"It's from the pregnancy," Jericho frowned and helped Robin move her to the edge of the bed. "We'll get some decent cushions for you to help support you."

"I think someone's coming," Beast Boy growled.

"It's Starfire," Robin smiled. "Let her know what's up."

"Okay!" Beast Boy said and scampered off. After Ambrosia was carefully dressed, they led her out. She could have used some magic to change her clothing, but they didn't want her to do anything now. It was very easy for her to get drained. Once her gown of deep green was placed over her, a bowl of ice cream was given to her to eat. It was gone in seconds. They wanted her to be as calm as possible. Only after she was tended to was Robin able to carefully take a few swallows of her nectar. He had to hold himself back and only take what he needed. Jericho nodded when they were ready to head out.

"Robin! How is friend Ambrosia?" Starfire asked, as she watched their door open.

"Very tired. But, we have to take care of this guy. I'll transport us to the grove," he said.

"No. I'll do it," Jericho said. "I'll contact Cyborg after this."

"Nu-uh! You leave Cyborg to me! Don't leave Ambrosia's side!" Beast Boy warned.

"Right. You win," Jericho chuckled. When they got to the castle grove, the three Kings were waiting for them. All of them looked livid.

"We know of Foster. He tries to become royalty, but he is far too weak for a magical well to sustain a crown," King Elvin said and shook his head. "His line was always weak."

"He is not very kind of heart, either," King Warren frowned.

"I don't really know too much about him. My branch of Fae society was a bit cut off," King Ealdun muttered. "But, from what they tell me here, he is untrustworthy."

"If he's snubbing a High Warlock, then he has no place to be a King," Jericho growled. "He actually had the gall to bombard our teleport shield to send in a messenger!"

"What?" King Elvin gaped.

"What was his message?" King Warren asked.

"That we recognize him as a true King," Robin muttered.

"Never!" Elvin muttered.

" _After this outrage, it's doubtful,_ " Elvey agreed.

"So, what is with the up now?" Starfire asked.

"We are putting an Elder Fae in his place," Jericho smiled. "It should be over quickly."

"Okay!" she beamed. They walked up the mossy, marble stairway for the hill to open up the small door for them. What they saw in front of them now had them pause with concern.

"Stand. Down," Raven growled. Her robe was livid and flaring out its irritation in waves. The Elder Fae before her was only smirking at her with a form of disdain. He had a beard with a slight curly-cue at the end of it, a light head of hair, and rather bushy eyebrows. His hair was red, but turning gray. Illusion was used to form the beard and to keep the gray from being far more apparent than usual. He could have easily resembled a hatless court jester from the way he was dressed.

Tight, spiraled green shoes were his footwear of choice. Darker green stockings were the next to be noticed as they went up his rather thin legs. Puffy black and white shorts were next with a matching top. A light, ruffled frill of a collar finished it up , and it was stark white in color. Robin took one look at his outfit. Elvey came out, had Robin fall to his knees, and he died laughing.

"Nice attire," Jericho said with a raised eyebrow.

" _I...can't...breathe...!_ " Elvey gasped, as he was shedding tears. " _Fashion?! That's...a form of...fashion?! No way...!_ "

"I wore this for centuries!" Foster said with shock.

"You need a new wardrobe," Jericho snickered. "Badly."

"My attire is perfectly fine!" the Elder argued.

" _Say that...to your mirror...!_ " Elvey cackled. " _if it hasn't...cracked yet!_ "

"How dare you!" Foster shrieked.

"No. How dare you," Ambrosia glowered, as her crown shimmered with anger. "You will  _never_  become full royalty! Not once have you even noticed that there is royalty right in front of you! Furthermore, you have insulted a High Warlock! That, in itself, is unacceptable!"

"Ah..." Foster blinked his green-brown eyes with surprise.

"You don't even have blue eyes, much less a touch of blue," King Warren clucked his tongue.

"A crown would be wasted on you!" King Ealdun muttered. "It would have no well to live on."

" _You should not be here,_ " Elvey said when he finally regained himself. He had Robin stand up tall and cross his arms over his chest. " _Robe. What did he say to you?_ "

"That my robe was fake. Despite the aura it gave as proof," Raven fumed quietly.

"He said we were all fakes!" Jinx scowled.

"I should shove him into another dimension," Herald growled.

" _Might pollute that dimension,_ " Elvey muttered. That got them all snickering. " _I'm the Laughing Battle Mage, by the way. Formerly a King, but my pendant was restored to me. So...I could be a King again, technically. I just choose not to be. As it is, I have more royalty in one little pinky than you do throughout your whole body!_ "

"I do not want you near my grove!" Ambrosia huffed. Beast Boy hissed and became a lion to snarl at the Elder Fae. "You have insulted me with your presence! And I doubt you know who I am!"

"Well, I doubt you can do anything to me," Foster replied in kind. Then he paled when Jericho moved over to his wife's side to press his crown to hers. The shimmering they did amplified with a form of rage.  _He just challenged the soul-mated crowns. They had to answer the challenge._

" _Wait!_ " Elvey winced and let Robin take over.  _:My Queen! Do not invoke your Judgment! Our son could be hurt! Let King Jericho handle it.:_

_:My love, if it was only so simple! This Elder insulted me directly! What am I to do?:_  she fretted.

"Robin..." Jericho winced. Starfire wanted to help, but Raven had moved her back for safety. Ambrosia found herself wrapping a hand around the star sapphire gem that now hung at her throat. Her fretted thoughts were easily heard, as well as the concern the others held for her well-being. What happened next was unexpected.

A massive hand made of stone erupted from the ground to encase the Elder Fae in a cage. It literally lifted the Elder Fae to a height that equaled a two-story building, and its fingers and thumb were curved around his form like that of a crystal ball. It was not the ancient Earth Elemental that did this, but a lesser one of its kind. It was just as old, but not as powerful. The more powerful Earth Elemental was able to reach out to its other brothers in various lands to help. And this one was no less deadly.

"We have gained alliances from the elementals, themselves. All four races understand our cause and will do everything they can to defend our honor! Queen Ambrosia is with child, and the elementals want her to remain safe. The strongest of each elemental race is offering their assistance. Earth is the most powerful and was able to contact us first. It vowed to aid us however it can. To keep to this promise, it reached out to one of its brothers' close by. My robe can speak with them. And so, I will only say this. Foster. Apologize to her now. If you don't, you will get crushed," Raven said calmly. Her robe was able to speak for the elemental near them. The elemental was ready to make good on its word.

"I apologize!" the Elder cringed in the stone cage.

"Vow to retreat to your city and to never contact us again!" Ambrosia spat. "If you wish to attempt to show what respect you can, then fine. You will arrange a  _proper_  meeting with us of our own accord! Never again are you to slander us with such disrespect!"

"I...vow..." he said in a shaken tone. Only then did the hand settle back into the ground and release him. The shaken Elder vanished soon after.

"Should have made him vow to change his wardrobe," Robin muttered.

"Nah! We need to know when he's coming! I could have seen him a mile away!" Beast Boy grinned. That got Robin laughing. He could only agree.

"I'm...very tired..." Ambrosia whispered. Jericho was quick to lift her into his arms to carry her. She was already getting drained. The near Judgment from her crown saw to that.

"There you all are!" Cyborg said, as he came out from the hill. "Glad I spotted you all here through my scopes! I have the pendant clasp."

"I was gonna contact you, too," Beast Boy nodded when he reverted back.

"Thanks," Robin said. "We need to get Ambrosia home."

"What happened?" he asked. Robin let him know what he missed, and the mithril clasp was given over. Robin took out the sliver, with Elvey's guidance, and was able to secure it in the priceless frame. As he inspected it, a rumbling happened around them for the giant stone hand to reappear. The palm was outstretched as though waiting for something.

"Huh. It wants the sliver. It wants to make the pendant better," Raven said.

"Does it really?" Ealdun blinked. The other two Kings were surprised. At Ambrosia's small nod, the sliver was carefully given over. The hand closed around it rather gently, and it sunk back into the earth. It had an idea to help her.

"Okay. That hand could easily take up my whole floor! To my garage!" Cyborg gaped.

"It could even crush you down into a small cube," Robin grinned.

"Shut up!" Cyborg muttered. That got Elvey grinning wickedly. The massive hand reappeared to open up. The mithril clasp around the sliver was changed. It now sparkled with various faceted crystals.

"It made mithril crystals!" Elvin gaped with complete shock.

"I see..." Ambrosia smiled. "May I have it now?"

"Yes," Robin nodded. He almost called her his Queen, but Elvey was quick to catch it. When she held it, her crown shimmered. Now Jericho looked at her with a stunned form of surprise.  _The sliver was charging her._ It was now vital to ensure that she would never be drained.

"You are holding onto that at all times!" Jericho said sternly.

"Is it charging her?!" Herald asked.

" _Yes. It will keep her from getting drained. Each crystal in the mithril can act like a focus point for her. Think of an endlessly charging moon crystal. We know of the mist the sliver pulses out. Instead it evaporating to the air, the crystals will catch it and charge up. The mithril will keep the crystals from overcharging. There are roughly...ten blue mithril crystals on this. All flawless,_ " Robin smiled, as Elvey explained what transpired.

"That's a very powerful charm now, huh?" Cyborg asked.

"Very. It could even help power up an elemental, if it came down to it," Jericho nodded. "They know how harmful this pregnancy can be. So, they wanted to ensure that she had a counterbalance to the draining effect. What better use of an item that gives off limitless Fae energy? The crystals on it will convert what the sliver pumps out. The energy will be refined and usable."

"She really does need it, too," Raven agreed.

"It's so pretty!" Starfire beamed. When she moved to touch it, she was stopped by Robin.

"Don't touch it," Robin warned. "It may hurt you."

"I am able to withstand space and nuclear reactors," she frowned.

"But, we don't know about Fae energy," he said.

"Is there a way to test?" she asked now. Robin frowned. He didn't want her to get hurt.

"There is a way," Ambrosia nodded. "Starfire, come here. Cup your hands around it. If it starts to feel hot, then don't get too close to it. It can feel like a hot coal, at times."

"Okay!" Starfire agreed. She cupped her hands over it and pulled them away quickly. _It was much too hot for me!_ Now she knew she couldn't hold it.

"Fae energy can be much like the fiery core of Earth's center," Ambrosia nodded. "And, since the sliver is somewhat sentient, it knows that you are not able to handle it."

"It is sentient?" King Warren asked.

" _Very. It could easily be another crown. Also, remember what was said before? It could power another elemental,_ " Elvey chuckled through Robin. " _Anyways, we need to get Ambrosia home._ "

When they all agreed, Cyborg felt something pricking at his senses. And not in a good way. When his gun suddenly charged up and pointed in a various direction, they all tensed.

"Unseelie pawn," Ealdun muttered.

" _Already?_ " Tintagel mused, as he emerged.

"Must we?" Ambrosia frowned. Beast Boy let out a sharp hissing snarl. She ran a hand over his head to calm him. "I really don't want to go through any more trouble."

"I know," Robin said and moved to hug her. "None of us are leaving you unprotected. You're safe. I won't let anything touch you."

"Okay," she sighed and shivered. When they looked over, it was Gizmo that made his appearance. Cyborg groaned his annoyance.

"What's up, crud-munchers?!" the kid cackled. He was using a jet pack to hover at them with. The three Kings were not amused, and the glares they showed actually made Gizmo pause with a form of fear. It was the same vibe he got from Sinlus. _That these men were very old and likely very dangerous._

"Gizmo, you're not needed here!" Cyborg snapped.

"Says who?!" the kid snapped back. Just as he swooped in to dive bomb them, the lesser elemental's hand shot up and snatched him in mid-flight. "WWWAAAAHHH!"

" _Just like catching a fly. Now are the wings going to be picked off?_ " Robin smirked, as Elvey came though to taunt. " _Hmm. It's just a kid. In a flight suit. Disgusting. A bald head? His hair likely knows not to grow on it. Like small weeds on a patch of dead soil. It has the right idea. Maybe a tiny little curly-cue will appear, if it tries hard enough?_ "

"Shut up! Let me out of here!" Gizmo squealed. The elemental hand neatly pinned him between a thumb and forefinger. It almost looked like it was getting ready to flick the little nuisance away. Elvey grinned wickedly and gestured for the kid to look down. When that happened, two large sets of golden amber eyes were seen glaring up at the trapped boy from inside the ground. At the way they were narrowed, it showed the elemental was not happy.

"You had better apologize and leave before you get squished. Or worse," Jericho muttered. When Gizmo was going to complain, he squealed from the sudden squeeze he was given. The elemental could easily pop him like a bug. It wasn't bound to any Court rules.

"You also shook the hand of Sinlus. Didn't you?" King Warren asked. "He is something called Unseelie. He tricks with his words. If you willingly shook his hand, you're as good as dead."

" _Considering that the scent of Unseelie is coming off your left hand,_ " Robin muttered with boredom. " _He can't even attack us now. Let's just go. As entertaining as it would be to watch the elemental pop him like a pimple, I don't want it to waste such a valuable source of energy._ "

"I wouldn't mind watching it," Cyborg smirked. Robin grinned, but shook his head, too.

"Thank you for your assistance," Ambrosia said respectfully to the elemental. "Feel free to intervene, if you ever feel the need."

The elemental purred, as they all left through the door in the hill. Only after they were safely out of harm's way and the door was safely closed did it release Gizmo. The kid was terrified now. _I was as good as dead?!_ He glanced down at his gloved left hand nervously. He needed to rethink his strategy. When he thought of trying to get into the hill, he remembered that a rather powerful elemental was still glaring at him. Scowling at his ill luck, he zipped off to see what he could find out about the Unseelie Court.

The elemental decided to remain at the grove as a permanent protector, and its brothers approved of this decision. As it now guarded the grove, Ambrosia was being settled back into bed to sleep. Robin was talking to his teammates with amusement.

"Robin, I think it's time we all had a dream training. At least to see what it's like," Cyborg said.

"I agree," Raven nodded.

"Can we? Huh?" Beast Boy begged.

"I want to see how it works, too," Starfire smiled.

"Well..." Robin sighed. "our sleep schedules are completely messed up, anyways..."

"Pleeeaaaasseee?!" they all said as one. That got him laughing.

" _Okay! Get a charged blue moon crystal and keep it close to where you sleep. Preferably under a pillow. I'll give you all one hour to do this! Hurry!_ " Elvey said, as he emerged. They dispersed quickly, and he sighed. When he reached the bed, Jericho was laughing softly. " _This will be fun..._ "

"Of course," Jericho agreed. Ambrosia was already sleeping. Robin was soon out like a light, and Jericho was quick to join him.


	35. Chapter 35

Elvey was already trying to locate the others when they appeared. Ambrosia was seated carefully between Robin and Jericho. Esmiralda was keeping a constant tab on her daughter's mental and physical state. The sliver was definitely keeping everything in check, but, as a safety precaution, it wasn't brought into the dream training. They didn't want the raw Fae energy it emitted to interfere with anything. The elementals gave off enough, as it was.

"Starfire is sleeping," Elvey muttered and focused. When she appeared, she blinked with shock at where she was. He was standing in the center of the original area by the marble table. She looked at him now and gasped softly. "Hello, Starfire. It's good to see you again."

"Yeah..." she whispered.

"Can you stand with the others in the gazebo, please? I have to call any others here that are asleep. Only then can the training start," he chuckled. She nodded and started to move away, but he pulled her to him to hug her tight. "Don't worry. We'll talk soon. Likely after. Okay?"

"I understand..." she trembled and hugged him back just as tight.

"Don't forget your love for Robin," he whispered in her ear. She swallowed hard and nodded. "In order for you to work with me, you have to love him, too. Loving us equally is the best way. You even told me that you loved me just as much as him. Don't ever lose that thought. Remember that."

She nodded and blushed at the kiss he pressed to her forehead. It was a caring and protective way that he did it. He cared about her and showed her. Smiling now, she left his embrace to move to the gazebo. She hugged Robin tight, and he hugged her back just as tightly. Looking at him, she beamed and said, "I am interested to see what happens!"

"Same here!" he grinned. "Ah, you can sit here. In front of us. We'll sit on the raised seats behind you. Hmm. Father, can you make the gazebo like a set of bleacher stands?"

"That's not a bad idea," Elvey mused and did just that. It still had the gazebo style, but this way it could fit more easily. Starfire blinked at what Robin called Elvey, but then she remembered.  _Elvey was his father in the dream trainings._

Cyborg was located next and brought in. It was a bit tougher for him, though, since half his body was machine. He had to focus a bit more to pull him in. Once the Titan was fully formed, he said, "Wow! This place looks wicked!"

"This is the dream training grounds. Please join the others in the gazebo stands," Elvey smiled.

"Gotcha!" Cyborg grinned. "Oh! I wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm. Make it quick," Elvey chuckled. "I still have others to contact."

"I know. It's about the crystal cylinder I'm making. I'm having some issues with it. The moon crystals I'm testing with can't seem to hold a good charge for me," Cyborg frowned. "They keep cracking. Don't worry! I only use lightly charged ones for minimal testing."

"Hmm. You do bring up an interesting case," Elvey frowned.

"I have an idea," Tintagel grinned, as he strode over. "Good to see you again, Cyborg!"

"You, too, Tintagel! What idea do you have for me?" Cyborg asked.

"Ever thought of using sun crystals?" Tintagel grinned.

"Ah...no..." the Titan blinked.

"Think about. The sun holds more energy than the moon. However, you may want to think about building up the energy. Small crystals to larger ones. Then, to power down, reverse the order," Tintagel said carefully. "It may be worth testing."

"First thing when I get back!" Cyborg grinned.

"I want to know if it works!" Elvey scowled.

"Oh, trust me. You will!" he grinned even wider. Tintagel patted him on the shoulder and gestured for him to join the others.

"If it works, do you have any idea how overpowered he would become?" Elvey smirked.

"Why do you think he needs to test it?" Tintagel smirked back. Elvey nodded with a chuckle and brought in Beast Boy as the next Titan in line.

"WOW!" the green Titan gaped. "This place looks so cool!"

"That it does!" Elvey agreed. "The others are waiting near the expanded gazebo."

"Okay!" he grinned and ran over to sit with Ambrosia. She ran a hand through his hair at his beaming grin. "Who's training who?"

"You'll see," Jericho smiled and rubbed Ambrosia's large belly. Robin had to keep a hand on it. Aelfric was demanding a lot of attention now. When Starfire put her hand on the swollen belly, she blinked at a playful kick. She giggled at it and looked over when Elvey called in the three High Warlocks. Raven, Jinx, and Herald stood there in stunned silence.

"This place is...wow..." Jinx gaped.

"I doubt my horn could work here," Herald frowned.

"It's a dream world. Not the real. So, it may work, but may not work. If you decide to test it, use caution," Elvey warned. "I would not just to play it safe. You are also not being tested. There should be no reason for you to use it. This is mainly training for your robes. They need to learn how they can work with various elemental forces of weather and climate. It will help them adapt to their surroundings, too. So, I will ask you three to join the rest under the gazebo section," Elvey smiled.

"Yes. I will pay very close attention," Raven chuckled. "And, to be honest, my robe is nervous."

"As it should be," Elvey winked. That had her swallow, but it was her robe's reaction. He continued to call forth various Fae and Titans that he could find. Hot Spot, Bumblebee, Speedy, Mas y Menos, and Kid Flash were part of the next group. Wildebeest, Kole, Gnarrk, Pantha, Aqualad, and Bushido were next to be called. The three Fae Kings were there, too, as well as a good number of allied Fae. Elvey paused and grinned, as he brought in Bruce Wayne as the last one for this training session.

"Ah...I was not expecting to be here..." Bruce blinked.

"Oh? Where were you?" Elvey asked.

"Napping on a plane flight," he chuckled. "It's a five hour flight, though, so it's fine. I still had a moon crystal on me, if you found me."

"Or it could have been my daughter's hair," Elvey mused. "We are training with some powerful beings called elementals. Robin will tell you what they are. And it will be Tintagel and I that are being tested. Robin still needs to pay attention, as always."

"Really?" Bruce asked with a bit of curiosity. Then he looked up and gaped at the sight of the Earth Elemental forming from the mountain it rested as. The elemental purred and chuckled at the sight of Ambrosia. She beamed back at it and nodded to it. Elvey and Tintagel watched with a bit of concerned shock when a massive finger pointed out to lightly touch her belly. At the hard kicks it felt, it gave out a laugh. Now those that hadn't seen the other elementals dropped their jaws when they appeared. The other three powerful entities wanted to feel Aelfric move, and the fetus was enjoying the attention. He would always enjoy any attention that he was given.

"Spoiled kid," Jericho chuckled.

"He knows," Robin smiled. "Father?"

"Yes?" both Elvey and Bruce asked together. Then they looked at each other and barked out laughter. Robin actually started laughing at it, too. Tintagel gave a wry look to Jericho with a matching grin. Ambrosia and Esmiralda were giggling at it.

"Okay. I can be called dad," Bruce said.

"Done!" Elvey agreed. "What is it, my son?"

"Is everyone here that wants to see the training?" Robin asked.

"As much as I know the dream can hold. Any more may be harmful. They'll have to catch the next one," Elvey nodded. "I'm sure it would be okay, but, as a warning, if any drop out of the dream, it's likely to keep it from being unstable."

"Understood," King Elvin nodded. Elvey nodded back and looked over at his brother-in-arms. Tintagel gave a nervous chuckle and turned to look at the flat land of dirt. The Water Elemental was watching them calmly. Then it looked at Earth to whisper in their language. Earth nodded and focused for the land to cave in for a bowl formation. Now Water filled it most of the way with its element. Earth did provide small land inlets and rocky islands for possible safe havens. But not by much.

"Whoa..." Beast Boy gaped.

"Yeah..." Cyborg said with a stunned form of silence.

"The water depth is insane," Raven whispered.

"Thirty feet," Aqualad judged.

"Truly?!" Bushido gaped.

"Oh! I hope they'll be okay!" Kole worried. Gnarrk was quite speechless at this.

"They be fine," Pantha smiled.

"That much water would definitely put me out for a while," Hot Spot whistled.

"And it would be good to learn how to counter that. When you're ready to learn, of course," Robin said as a suggestion. He knew how his friend hated to be told what to do.

"Possibly," Hot Spot shrugged. His fiery temper wasn't showing up to show he was relaxed.

"If you're pitted against Madam Rouge, it would be nice to know some good tricks to use against her," Jericho grinned. "But, that's if it comes to it."

"I get it..." Hot Spot muttered. "I'm here to watch this one, anyways."

"Something interesting," Aqualad said, as he studied the bowl. "There's an extra ten feet of the land bowl that wasn't filled..."

"What?" Elvey looked at him now.

"Ten feet of water is missing from the top. I wonder why," the water Titan thought. Tintagel looked at the tallest land mass in the bowl and paled.

"I know why. The tallest spire in there is exactly ten feet above the water. We might get flooded..." Tintagel cringed. Now Elvey looked at him with a gaping look of complete surprise.

"Water is waiting," Ambrosia said with a soft smile. Her fathers looked at each other and their nervousness was easily felt. It was  _not_  easy to get them this nervous. The older Fae shared their concern.

"Are you sweating?" Bruce asked Tintagel.

"Yes," Tintagel admitted. Now Warren swallowed and looked at a rather nervous Ealdun. Elvey was faring no better, but they couldn't keep the Water Elemental waiting. They both nodded to each other and walked down the dirt path. Earth was courteous enough to let them trek to the center of the massive lake. Then the path disintegrated to leave them stranded.

"Here we go," Elvey muttered. It was Aqualad that got their attention from the sharp gasp of warning he gave. He saw the start of the massive tidal wave gathering in power.

"They'll be knocked off!" Bushido gaped.

"They'll be fine," Jericho muttered. Ambrosia's eyes were locked on her two fathers when the wave crashed down on them. They had used a mild shield spell to keep from getting pushed off the small land mass and sucked down into the crushing wave. They weren't fighting against magical energies. It was simply the element of water.

"They can't really chase Water, so they can only stay in one piece against it," Ambrosia said. "If they stay dry through the testing, then it will be greatly impressed!"

"Is that so?" Robin said and thought to Elvey. Jericho did the same to Tintagel.

"Stay dry. Undamaged. Right," Tintagel nodded.

"Easier said than done!" Elvey grimaced at the sight of another massive tidal wave. Right after that crashed over them with no effect, Tintagel noticed they were moving. A whirlpool appeared just in front of them.  _And it was getting stronger._  They both swore in the Fae language and found themselves moving from one small floating island inlet to the next. They had to keep from getting pulled down. When they finally reached a free-standing rock pillar, they clung to it.

"Amazing..." Speedy gaped.

"They still dry?!" Pantha asked.

"Yes," Ambrosia nodded.

"I don't know if I could do all that..." Hot Spot said with amazement.

"Won't know until you try," Robin sighed. "I'll be doing the same thing when it's my turn."

"Why not now?" Kole asked.

"My son needs me. That's why," Robin said. "If I spend any time away from Ambrosia, then Aelfric will want me close right away. He'll drain her without meaning to."

"Your...son...is Aelfric?" Bushido asked. "I thought the next one was to be..."

"Are you serious? Her kid right now is yours?!" Aqualad gaped.

"Ah..." Robin winced. Now the others that didn't know looked at him with complete disbelief.

"After the training," Jericho muttered. "And Aelfric is halfway Robin's son."

"It's not your fault," Beast Boy whispered to Ambrosia. She could only nod with a small smile. Esmiralda gave a warning glare to the others there to keep quiet. She didn't want her daughter to stress over it right now. The hint was readily taken.

"Starfire, did you know this?" Hot Spot asked.

"I do," she nodded. "And it is okay. Elvey is helping me see reason. I am fine."

"Oh..." Speedy frowned. Bruce gave a chuckle and looked back at the massive lake. He already knew, and he knew his protégé was in for it.

"Robin...idiot..." Elvey muttered. "Can't be helped, I guess..."

"I know. Let's finish this," Tintagel grounded out. Elvey nodded and they both clung to the rock, as another tidal wave towered over them and crashed down. Another shield spell was cast to keep them dry. "At least...Water isn't really...as bad...as Earth was! It's still just as...hard to work with..."

"I think it heard you!" Elvey hissed. The Water Elemental seemed to howl, and the water got choppy. Right around them now, a whirlpool happened. All of the water was sucked away to leave the single pillar of rock exposed. Both Fae men gaped and clung to the rock, as the water rose up around them. Tintagel was the one that cast the strong shield spell to keep them dry and protected, as the massive, circular wave crashed down on them. Only then did the testing end. They both passed.

"They did it," Esmiralda beamed. The Water Elemental knew that there really wasn't much that it could do, but that would change when Wind could help it. Even Earth or Fire. With Wind, it could have easily held an advantage with ice storms and hurricanes.

Once again, Earth helped them get to the others with its massive hand. Only after the initial shock that they survived had passed did the questions about Aelfric get answered.

"Before I speak for Robin," Elvey said carefully. "everyone needs to vow. Right now. That he is not at fault. That he is still your leader. He had to do certain things, or he would have died. He was offered multiple chances to walk away. To stop before it got worse. He didn't. He did most of this to be a better leader for the Titans. To bear the brunt of hardship for everyone. Do not lose your trust in him."

"We already knew everything," Cyborg nodded.

"We had to know," Raven said with a light frown. "It's not like we didn't like it. But...if it didn't happen, then Robin wouldn't have survived."

"And it's not Ambrosia's fault," Beast Boy growled. "She didn't want it. She had no choice."

"Friend Ambrosia is never at fault," Starfire nodded. "She didn't know what she was."

"Indeed...I didn't..." Ambrosia trembled. Jericho pulled her into his lap to keep her calm.

"Damn..." Hot Spot sighed. "I mean...if it wasn't for Robin, then we wouldn't have cool stuff to work with! At the same time, we got sucked into a whole new mess."

"No. That was my doing," Raven said quickly. "I gave Beast Boy a book when he was bored. He got the idea to look for fairies from it. He found one. Blame me. No one else."

"Oh..." Hot Spot blinked.

"And, if he didn't find her, she'd be suffering for another century. Maybe even another thousand years," Elvey muttered. He hugged his daughter now with a small shiver. Beast Boy gave a small hiss, but he actually paused when Raven set a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and smiled. They were trying to work together to be on better terms.

"I will always trust in Robin's judgment," Bushido nodded. "He has never steered me wrong."

"Same," Aqualad said without any hesitation. The others slowly agreed. Hot Spot was now looked at, but he relented and nodded.  _Robin was definitely trying to prove himself._   _He did that with every single thing he learned. He taught us what he learned. He was helping us improve as he also improved. He always thought about his friends before himself. It was a given._

"Okay," Elvey nodded. "Let me explain this to you all. Robin...is now considered Ambrosia's human. He gave her blood, and she had to give him blood in return. On doing this, Aelfric gained a portion of him. That's how her son is now half of his."

"And don't any of you even think of doing the same thing!" Robin grounded out. "Fae blood is exactly like drinking acid. If any of you want to feel the pain I went through, just grab my pendant when we are done here. Then try to think of the pain you felt lasting for a solid three hours."

"What...?!" Bushido gaped.

"But...why...?" Hot Spot asked.

"Ambrosia's nectar gave me magic. A deadly form of it. If I didn't do it, it would have killed me. I had to accept Elvey as a father figure in my dreams. It was the only way for him to train me," Robin muttered. "Ambrosia didn't want this to happen. But it had to."

"Like with the memories?" Jinx asked. Kid Flash didn't know what to think.

"Yeah," Jericho nodded. "We kept this from all of you, because we didn't know how it would be taken. Robin isn't weak. You saw how he dealt with Slade. Granted, it was Elvey that did it. But, you can see how Robin is able to move now. Slade knows that he will die if he fights Robin like this."

"That he will," Elvey smirked.

"There's a lot of questions that I have," Hot Spot sighed.

"Hmm," Tintagel thought. "We still have a good two hours. I need to make a screen."

The Water Elemental purred and made a sheen of water for him to use. The Fire and Wind Elementals wanted to learn, too. Even Earth did. Tintagel nodded and had Jericho display the memories and visions needed. When all was shown, many were in silent reflections of thought. Bruce was even in thought on how it all happened.

"I would not go blabbing this to other Titans," Elvey muttered.

"But...if they ask...?" Bushido frowned.

"Then let them know. But, only if they ask. You see why it's problematic, yet reasonable, too. Aelfric will know to use his powers justly. He will know who is friend and foe. He will remember his tormentors. You know everything that we do now," Esmiralda said gently. "Granted, it will be hard to let this information out. But, do remember. The Unseelie Court is always listening. We cannot let this information spread. It could be risky."

"Very true," Hot Spot nodded.

"What do we do now?" Bumblebee asked. Mas y Menos wanted to know, too. Wildebeest was even paying close attention. All of this was very intriguing to him.

"Continue to focus on moon crystal harvesting. Whenever a dream training happens, you will all come back the moment you fall asleep when we do. After Fire and Wind test Elvey and Tintagel, the training for the Titans will start," Robin said.

"Now I see why you have to be with Ambrosia," Aqualad winced.

"Yeah. Now you know why," Robin nodded to him.

"I was hurt at first," Starfire smiled. "But, I know that Robin loves me. He still wants to be my suitor. Friend Ambrosia did not want this. She told me she tried to leave Robin. She tried to leave all of us. Ambrosia is my new sister. I do not want her to leave. I would miss her greatly."

At this, she hugged Ambrosia tight. Elvey also knew that Starfire wanted to be with him. In a way, she was giving herself a strong reason to be with Robin, too. As much as he hated it, he also accepted it. There wasn't much else that could be done.

"So, you became her human?" Speedy asked.

"Yeah. I know where she is at all times. I can mentally talk to her. And my skills have been honed to insane levels," Robin smiled. "And, no, I don't regret anything."

"Hush, love," Jericho whispered, as he hugged his wife. "It's fine."

"Is it?" Ambrosia trembled. Esmiralda was quick to rest a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder and whisper softly. She nodded to her mother and felt better.

_:My son.:_  Elvey muttered to Robin mentally.

_:Father?:_  Robin responded.

_:Don't EVER call her your Queen in front of the others. They won't understand.:_

Robin gave a small, sharp nod. Even he knew they wouldn't understand. _They may see it as a sign of weakness._ Hot Spot was watching Robin curiously now.

"So...how sharp are your senses?" Hot Spot asked. His jaw dropped when Robin seemingly appeared behind him without even a blink wasted.

"Slade couldn't even sense me..." Robin muttered in his ear. "and I followed him easily. You saw the visions through Jericho when they happened. It was like playing cat and mouse. The only difference was that I was the cat...and I enjoyed it..."

Hot Spot blinked and found Robin back to where he was at Ambrosia's side. Even though it was a dream training, Robin didn't even use the dream. That was purely his movements. Elvey found himself grinning with Tintagel. _Robin could easily pass as my son._ Hot Spot now knew exactly how dangerous Robin was. _And Robin wasn't even gloating._ He was asked how much he had evolved, and he gave his answer in the only way possible.  _He proved it._

"All right, I think I need to wake up. I think my flight is almost over," Bruce sighed.

"And we should awaken, as well," Ealdun nodded. The other two Kings were in agreement.

"Of course. Those of you than need to awaken, do so now," Elvey nodded. All but Jericho, Ambrosia, and Robin had disappeared. Robin was grimacing at the knowledge that was exposed. Elvey was a bit surprised that Starfire vanished, but it was fine.  _I'll talk to her later. It would be better through Robin, too._ Tintagel was only sighing at everything that happened. Jericho could only reflect his thoughts. Esmiralda moved over to her daughter to talk to her.

"My daughter," she said gently. "do not worry. All will be well. Yes, there will be a bit more confusion. Just remember that they all know that this is not your doing. Young Robin will not be challenged. They agreed that he was still their leader. If they say otherwise, we shall step in."

"That we will," Elvey muttered out. "They will likely return for other dream visions."

"We shall see what they are like when they come back," Tintagel nodded sternly.

The Earth Elemental rumbled out its concern, and Ambrosia nodded. It will help them see reason, too. The other elementals there bore witness to everything. With a heavy sigh, they all embraced and let the dream finally end.


	36. Chapter 36

Starfire was quick to head to the Ireland castle when she woke up. She wanted to talk to Elvey.  _I didn't mean to wake up!_  She also wanted to claim a room for herself, too. She wanted to make sure that the room she wanted was okay to have and fully unclaimed. It also gave her a reason to go to the castle. She knew that she couldn't let her new fondness for Elvey take over her thoughts, but it was hard for her to block them out. The thoughts only got stronger every time she was with him.

When she got into the castle, Robin was already waiting for her. He didn't want Starfire to stress out Ambrosia. If not Ambrosia, Elvey knew how jealous Esmiralda could get, too. He had Robin be the one to greet her. "Hey, Star! Good to see you again!"

"Robin!" she beamed. "You are not with Ambrosia?"

"She's sleeping, so it's okay. I have a some borrowed time until Aelfric demands for me," he sighed. "So, what's up? Something wrong?"

"I did not mean to wake up. Um...I was hoping to speak with Elvey. I wanted him to help me find a good room to be in," she smiled.

"I could help you with that," he frowned.

"I know. I just think that...well...Elvey would know best..." she said.

" _Starfire,_ " Elvey said, as he came through. " _I'll help you find a room. It's fine. However, I want to know why you demand to see me now. If I didn't know any better, I would think you are enthralled._ "

"What?" she blinked. "Me? Enthralled?"

" _Yes. You can't get me out of your mind. You always want to see me. Nothing else matters to you until you see me. I think you are enthralled. I just need to see how bad. Come. Let's find you a room and see if it will work for you._ "

"Elvey..." she frowned. "what do you mean by I may be enthralled?"

" _Do you remember when I first touched you? How you always wanted more? And when I kissed you? You can't get the feelings out of your mind, can you?_ " he frowned, as they walked.

"Oh..." she said with a soft blush.

" _So...yes...enthrallment. It happened at the gala with that first touch I did. Granted, you want to marry Robin, but it will only be because you want to be with me. I think you have lost your love for Robin,_ " he said carefully. " _He has never lost his love for you. It isn't fair to him._ "

"That is not true!" Starfire gasped.

"Then tell me that you still love me, Star," Robin said when he looked at her. "Because I still love you. Yeah, I also love Ambrosia, but I will  _always_  love you, Star."

"I do love..." she started and faltered.  _Why couldn't I finish it?!_ She shivered and trembled.

" _Badly enthralled,_ " Elvey grimaced. " _We need to fix this now, or it will hamper your test with Blackfire. Come! Quickly!_ "

"I..." she whimpered and found her hand getting tugged along. An elaborately done up room with silk curtains, silk rugs, and rich wall hangings with large windows was readily found. He would have Jericho fix it up later. Right now, he had to fix Starfire.

" _Starfire, listen to me carefully,_ " Elvey said gently. " _Robin cannot marry you if you do not love him. If he cannot marry you, then I cannot be with you, either._ "

"But...I do love..." she gasped and clenched her fists. "Why can I not say it?!"

" _It's the enthrallment. There is a way to fix most of it. Enough to help. There will be some pain involved, but it will clear your mind and help you focus. I'm not going to hit you. I'm not going to do any form of damage to you. It will be the same thing that Mr. Wayne did to feel what Robin went through. I want you to grab my pendant._ "

"But...will that not that cause me pain?" she cringed.

" _Sometimes it will. Sometimes it won't. You won't know until you try,_ " Elvey smiled. " _But, it will help you think clearly again. Aqualad needed Ambrosia to give him pain to clear his mind. I would do the same to you, but I will not physically harm you. I cannot bring myself to do that. I also do not want you to lose what care you have for me. So, an indirect way. It will work. You can't lose your focus on Blackfire. Or your love for Robin. I cannot dominate your thoughts._ "

"I see," she nodded. "Um...how am I to grab it?"

" _Think that it's causing me pain,_ " he suggested. She nodded and grabbed the pendant forcefully. Then she screamed and released it from the shock it gave to her core. She crumpled to the ground in sobbing tears, but it was Robin that moved to hug her tight. "I went through three hours of that pain. What you felt was a mere fraction. It was this same pain that saved my life. I want it to save your love for me. Please, Star, tell me you love me again!"

"I do...love you...Robin...!" she gasped and clung to him. He rocked her with a form of intense relief. He kissed her gently now and continued to hug her close.

"The pain may stay with you for a while, but it will get easier to bear. Don't worry. You're not physically hurt. The pain will leave you."

"What...pain was that?"

"You got touched with Fae energy. Think of it as though you stuck a piece of metal into an electrical outlet. You got zapped. It's not intense, but just a warning shot. If you ever feel that you can't say that you love me, grab the pendant again. The raw force of Fae energy will counter the enthrallment. I know how to fully make it leave your mind, but that can't happen until we get married. Okay?"

"This is not intense?!" she asked with disbelief. Then she paused at his small smile.  _He went through the pain for three solid hours._  She shivered and nodded. She was still shaky when he helped her up, but she sighed and hugged him tight.  _My mind is definitely cleared!_  That much she did know.

"Do you like this room?" he asked.

"I do! Um, it lacks a bed," she said with a smile.

"I saw that. I can have Jericho fix it up for you later. Ah! Aelfric!" Robin winced. Starfire was quick to help him get to the master bedroom. Jericho was resting a hand on her belly, and he nodded to Starfire when she walked in with Robin.

"I was about to get you," Jericho frowned. "Starfire? Is everything well now?"

"I think so. I still hurt a little," she admitted.

"The feeling will fade. Just give it time," Ambrosia smiled warmly. "Did you pick a room?"

"Yes! But, I need more furnishings. Oh! Is it possible to conjure things from my planet?" Starfire asked curiously. "I know not now. But, later on?"

"Of course! I would be delighted to do that for you! Tell us what you need in the room," Ambrosia beamed. As they gossiped, Jericho gave a rather intense look of worry to Robin. The same frown was echoed in full, but at least a fix was found.  _Even though it was temporary._ With everything finally settling down at the castle, another pawn was being found for the Unseelie Court a few continents away in Vietnam.

The forests of Nam Cat Tien were quiet. The rangers detected nothing out of the ordinary, as they stopped their patrols for the night. They even missed the set of glowing green eyes that stalked them from the treetops. They weren't victims, though. They were just being watched out of mere curiosity. When they were gone, the eyes that the mask belonged to seemed to fade out the glow. The grinning, fanged face came into light, as the girl with long, black hair pondered what to do.

Her weapon claws were sunk into the bark to keep her there. Her clothing attire only seemed to be comprised of a long-sleeved, short-skirted dark green kimono with light green wrapping, and lining. She didn't bother with a form of pants, as they would have slowed her down. She looked slender, fast, and very lethal. She had barely escaped the Brotherhood of Evil when it collapsed. She made her way back home to recover and plot what she needed to do next. So far, nothing came to mind. Sighing to herself, she climbed down and approached a pool of water to look into it.

Her white cat mask with black and pink striped markings looked back at her. The lines made up the eyebrows and dual pink markings touched the cat-like green eyes near the sides. The massive, toothily fanged grin was the only other highlight to the mask. She fixed up her bound back black hair with the matching green trim ribbon. Her green-lined black boots were also dusted off and inspected. _Maybe I should head home._ It was getting late, and she was getting a touch sleepy. As she studied herself a moment longer, the unmistakable outline of Sinlus appeared behind her.

Quicker than lightning, she was up with a claw aiming towards the old Fae's form, but she found herself blocked. He had a shield spell set up just for this.

"Hello, Cheshire. I came to talk. And no. You can't back out of it," Sinlus grinned wickedly. There was something about the older Fae that she didn't like, and she kept trying to slice at him.  _Why did it feel like my claws were bouncing off of steel?!_   _There was nothing in front of him!_

"I will not hear it!" she hissed and decided to bolt.

"Oh, goodie! You decided to run..." Sinlus smirked and vanished to mist. When she stopped near the edge of a clearing, he simply reformed next to her. "Care to talk now? No matter where you run, I will find you. Humans are always so easy to find! It's amusing."

"You aren't human?" she asked.

"I just reformed next to you, and you can't hit me. I'm not human," he grinned. "I'm over a thousand years old. I am of a race called the Fae. Mythical crap. But, we exist. What? I thought the ears would have given it away. You don't pay much attention to detail, do you?"

"Fae?" she asked with confusion. Now he let the enthrallment kick in.

"How would you like the chance to be even faster than you are now?" he said silkily. "You can be. It's very possible. All you have to do is shake my hand and agree to do one little thing."

"And what is it?" her interest was caught. It was easy to do with humans.  _So incredibly easy._

"Beat up a Titan when the time calls for it," he snickered.

"That's it?" she mused. _I can easily do that!_

"Yes. That's all you have to do. Of course, you won't be alone. But, you can only attack one. That one will be determined for you at the destined time. You will know when to fight."

"Can I kill?"

"Maybe if your 'team' wins! It's a bunch of tests, you see. If your 'team' is able to win, you'll get what you want and more. Just shake my hand. It's all you have to do," he said. "No claws, of course. I have to shake your actual hand. And a claw would simply get messy."

"The only way I will agree is if I get to go up against Speedy. I know I will win against him," she said. "I've beaten him before."

"Have you?! Hmm. I'll ensure it's arranged," he nodded. _If this one knew which Titan to take on, I'm not going to argue!_ She removed her left claw and shook his hand. Then she shouted at the shock of pain she got. On looking at her palm, she gasped at the backwards moon crest. _I was marked?!_ Once she was marked, the enthrallment broke. Now the realization set in.

"Treachery?!" she scowled.

"You shook my hand of your own impulse. Right?" he grinned. She went to attack him like all the others and squealed at the pain that slammed through her. At the sight of the two vile spirits that appeared, she stared through her mask with horror.

_"Tis a cat!"_

_"No! Tis a rat!"_

_"And when she is cornered?"_

_"If she dies, will none mourn her?"_

_"Will she stay and fight?"_

_"Despite her new plight?"_

_"Will the claws be clipped?"_

_"Or in water she drips?"_

_"It matters not now."_

_"She will fight, anyhow!"_

_"So fast and so fierce..."_

_"Will her claws truly pierce?"_

_"Only one way to tell..."_

_"She will answer to our bell."_

Sinlus nodded and glanced down at Cheshire's stunned form. Then he smiled softly and said, "Be a good little cat and strengthen yourself up. You have less than two weeks. Better make the most of it, right? Until then, I'll see you around."

"Why...did I agree...?!" she fretted.

"Because you liked the sound of my voice," he grinned wickedly. She glared at him under her mask. The audible gasp was heard from her when he vanished away with the vile spirits. She wanted to throw up. To beat herself up to pieces.  _I let myself get trapped!_  She could only hope that the way out was by winning against Speedy if she fought him.  _Maybe I would be let go._  It was all she could hope for. Getting up now, she knew that fretting about it would do nothing. She sped back to her small house to start training and planning a trip. She just didn't know where to go yet.


	37. Chapter 37

Raven was getting stronger in her studies, and her robe confirmed it. A whole day nearly went by, and she was advancing by leaps and bounds. It was almost time for the next section of training to happen with the next elemental in line. The Titans were all anxious to see what it would be. As she was getting ready to head to Ambrosia's castle, as she was in Elvey's castle, her communicator went off.

"Yes?" she asked when she answered it.

"Raven, I need you to check Titan's Grove, please," Jericho said. "Herald and Jinx will join you. Do be cautious. Don't be stupid."

"Got it," she agreed. She paused at the sound of a rumbling purr around her. "Of course, you can help. I don't see why not. If it's an Unseelie pawn, then it may be needed. Okay. Let your brother know. Ah. He does know. Perfect."

She chuckled and made the warp to Titan's Grove. She was surprised to find Beast Boy there. At her curious glance, he said, "Ambrosia sent me. She thinks I can help. I'll scout up high."

"Okay," she nodded. He became his hawk form and took flight. Jinx and Herald showed up soon after. The slight trembling underneath them showed that the lesser elemental was watching, too. As the three High Warlocks waited, Beast Boy caught sight of something moving towards them. His small, high-pitched calls alerted them, and he landed on a tree branch to preen a feather.

"Who do you think it is?" Jinx frowned.

"We'll find out, won't we?" Herald smirked. He blinked when Robin had teleported to them. Elvey needed to find out who it was.

" _Aelfric gave me some time. Let me try and track down the intruder. Run a Fae energy search. Your robes will know how,_ " Elvey said. He was in control right now, and he realized it was a great way for the robes to learn how to successfully track down an intruder. He focused on his enhanced senses and waited. He canceled out the breathing around him. He removed the sounds of the wind. He neatly removed any other distracting sound. Then he tilted his head to the south and grinned.  _The hunt was on._

"Found something?" Raven muttered.

" _Stay put,_ " Robin muttered back. He danced over the ground faster than any of them could blink. He took in a deep sniff of the air and darted through several trees. After another few steps, his pole was out and blocking the intruder. " _Say nothing. Do nothing. Or you die._ "

Cheshire was stunned.  _I was found?!_  When she tried to move, the pole came crashing down on her to immobilize her neatly. On glancing at her, she was stunned again. She managed to look up to see who tracked her down.  _Robin found me?! How was that even possible?!_  He turned silently to look down at her and crouch down to regard her. With an icy glare, he was drawn to look at her left hand. As a response, she turned her palm to show him. He gave a snort of disgust and stood up to walk away. He pulled his pole back and let it collapse inwards to show he was done with her.

"You aren't going to kill me?!" she asked now when she stood up.

" _You're already dead,_ " Elvey muttered. She froze in her stance. With her heart pounding in her ears, he said, " _I don't know why you came here. You can't attack us. You'll be stopped. As for me, I'm not entirely human anymore. It's how I found you. Go home. Come back when you're ready to fight. You came here out of curiosity. I know this. If you follow me, you will be stopped. And don't even try to follow me. I'll hear you coming. It's how I knew where you were._ "

"You...heard me coming...?" she asked with disbelief.

" _Easily,_ " he said with a chilling grin and a cold chuckle. " _Slade was easy to hear, too._ "

That made her falter.  _There was no way I'd be able to beat him._  With a scowl, she said, "Well, I requested to go against Speedy! Not you!"

" _Good. I would have killed you,_ " he said with an uncaring shrug. " _Why should I care?_ "

"You...you can't be Robin..." she trembled.

" _No. I'm not. Not completely, that is. You'll find out later. Now go home._ "

"I can't."

" _Why not?_ "

"Do you know how long it took me to get here from Vietnam?!" she growled. "I had to hijack a few planes to get here! Like hell am I going back!"

" _Oh. I suppose I can ask Herald to send you back. As one gesture of courtesy,_ " Robin mused.

"I'm not going back."

" _Then...where will you stay?_ " he smirked. " _You can't stay with me._ "

"I'll find a place in the city."

" _Fine. But, if you cause any problems, you'll answer to me and my team. That much is a given._ "

He suddenly glanced over when Ambrosia appeared with Jericho. Aelfric was giving her hell for attention, and Robin gave a hard sigh. He moved to her side to rest his hand over her belly. Ambrosia let her deep, dark blue eyes rest on the masked girl with a look of mistrust. She scented the Unseelie on her.

: _Robin, she is of Unseelie?:_  she frowned.

_:Yes. I already told her she was as good as dead. Do not worry about her.:_  Robin pressed a kiss to her temple.  _:She is nothing to us.:_

_:I tried to remain in bed, but...:_

_:My Queen, it's fine. If you need me, you come to me. I insist.:_  he chuckled and kissed her gently. At Cheshire's stunned look at this, he looked over at her. "Yeah. Starfire knows. She's fine with it. Anyways, I'm done here. Jericho?"

"Yes. Let's go," Jericho grinned. Now Cheshire was floored.  _I didn't know that Jericho could talk!_  "Cheshire, if you do anything stupid, you're always watched."

At the rumbling of the earth under them, he knew the lesser Earth Elemental was going to keep an eye on her. Any Unseelie pawn was taken note of. None would stay hidden, if they lingered in the city. The lesser elemental was able to keep track of the whole city and anything within a fifty mile range from it in a full radius. It had no issues with doing this. It was the most fun it had in centuries.

Cheshire was now ignored. Jericho went to move Ambrosia and Robin back to the grove. Right when the invading girl was about to try her luck, a massive hand came out from the ground to hold her aloft. She squeaked and jumped off the hand to a branch. When Ambrosia turned to glare, Robin was quick to catch her attention.

"If you summon a Treant, you'll drain yourself," Robin warned.

"I should summon one from the tree she's in," Ambrosia growled.

"Darling," Jericho warned now. Ambrosia frowned and shook her head. He pressed his crown to hers to let them shimmer and sparkle. Robin wanted to take out his pendant, but he knew it had to be hidden. It would be done again later. Her crown clearly wanted to do something, but his was able to soothe hers back down. A small nod was finally given, and he kissed her passionately. Cheshire couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Ambrosia looped her arms between both Robin and Jericho to let them teleport away with her. The lesser elemental pulled its hand back down, but the uneasy feeling that she was watched seemed to linger around her.

"What did I just witness?!" she panicked. "Do I really have a chance?!"

"Nope!" Beast Boy grinned from the branch he landed on and reverted human. "You just pissed off Robin! You're done, dude! May as well go home."

"Indeed," Raven muttered, as she floated over. Jinx and Herald were there close behind. Cheshire hissed and jumped away from them all. She darted towards the city, and Raven gave a small smirk. Her robe was quite amused, but it advised her to not waste her energy. _Cheshire was now being tracked in various ways._ At a small nod, she turned to head back to the hill.

"You're not gonna find her?" Beast Boy frowned.

"No. The elemental here has it covered. We have a training to see to," Raven snorted.

"I think we should go after her," Herald said. Raven sighed and paused at what the elemental rumbled to her robe. Now she looked at the three with her. Jinx had her arms crossed over her chest.

"The elemental has said, and I quote, 'If I need help, you will know.' So, on that note, we should head back to sleep and train. I honestly wouldn't worry about her. She has the mark of Unseelie. She can't do anything if she tried. She's bound by Unseelie rules, whether she likes it or not. Let's go," Raven said. Beast Boy nodded and flew off in a sparrow form. Jinx grumbled, but she smiled at Herald's pat to her shoulder. Even he wanted to go after Cheshire, but Raven and the elemental were right.  _The training session needed to come first._

At Ambrosia's castle, Robin and Jericho finally had her resting comfortably between them. A bowl of strong Fae honey ice cream was being eaten with delight. When the third spoonful was brought to her mouth, their bedroom door was knocked on. Robin answered it to find Starfire.

"Robin! I heard about Cheshire! Is that one of the Unseelie now?" she asked.

"Yeah. Elvey shocked her by letting me find her. She's in the city now. She can't hide from us. Anyways, we have to train. I have no clue as to which elemental wants to test us now. It's between Wind and Fire. I'm hoping it's Fire. At least, that's what Elvey is hoping for."

"Why?"

"He'd rather get Fire done first. Wind may be easier to work with than Fire," Robin chuckled.

"I will like to see what happens," she nodded.

"And you will! I need to get to sleep now. You should, too. We'll see each other again when the training starts," he said. They hugged tight, and she flew to her room to rest. He knew the others were waiting for the training to start, and he could hear quite a few Titans bedding down. He walked over to Ambrosia to settle next to her. He helped her finish eating, and she let him get down some nectar. The crystal at her throat shimmered to give her a good recharge, and she sighed with relief.

"Ready to see who's next to test us?" Jericho grinned.

"Why not?" Robin muttered. He laughed at the tickling poke Ambrosia gave him. He set the empty bowl aside and felt her nestle down a bit more. They fell asleep right after that.


	38. Chapter 38

Elvey and Tintagel were clearly nervous. They already knew which elemental was planning to challenge them. They were not happy.

"Fire wants to be last," Tintagel grimaced.

"I don't know how strong Wind is," Elvey sighed. "I can only assume an aerial training."

"That's going to hurt," Jericho frowned.

"I know," Tintagel nodded. Elvey was already calling in various Titans to help witness the training. Hot Spot, Bushido, and Starfire were the first ones to appear.

"I understand that Cheshire appeared?" Hot Spot frowned.

"Yeah. She's under control of the Unseelie, so she can't do anything," Robin shrugged.

"What will happen if she fails?" Starfire asked.

"I don't want to know," Robin admitted. "We might not ever hear from any of them again."

"I hope Madam Rouge is one of them that I never have to see!" Hot Spot snorted.

"If Katarou vanishes, I will not complain," Bushido nodded. "But, I do not know if he is one or not. If he is...I will only train that much harder."

"Everyone will train," Robin said. "It's why the elementals are here. It's safer here. If we try to train out there, it may become deadly. It's better in a controlled dream environment."

"Duuude!" Beast Boy said when he appeared. "Cheshire is  _so_  dead!"

"She's not fighting me. She may live. I hope Speedy's up to it. She did say that she wanted to challenge him. Maybe we can get them to gloat over who they want to challenge. Slade already knows that he's dead if he goes against me. That's a given," Robin grinned.

"You mean against us," Elvey nodded.

"Yes, Father," he smiled. He scowled at the knuckle rub, and Elvey easily dodged the half-hearted swing at him. Another rub was given as a mild punishment. Bruce was next to appear, and he nodded to the powerful Fae. At a glance to Robin fixing his hair, he rose a brow.

"So, who am I witnessing tonight?" the man grinned.

"Wind," Tintagel sighed. "I have no idea what to expect."

"I'm sure of that," Bruce mused. Ambrosia nodded to him and yawned. Her belly was a bit larger now, and he was able to give a fond rub over it. The kick given back showed it was appreciated. "How many more weeks?"

"It's three months in total," Elvey chuckled. "About a month and a half went by. So, if you figure a month in a week, you'll get your answer."

"Wow," Bruce paused with amazement. "That's gotta be rough!"

"We know," Jericho grimaced. At how his wife started to fall asleep, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "Okay. We'll go sit down."

She only nodded and let Robin help her sit down with Jericho at the gazebo stands. Esmiralda was waiting there with a look of concern in her eyes. "My daughter is going to become exhausted rather quickly now. It can't be helped. I was very much the same way."

"I see..." Robin frowned. He suddenly stammered at Ambrosia's sudden thought on bursting into tears. Beast Boy rushed to her side to comfort her. Elvey and Tintagel both looked over with alarm.

"It is the pregnancy," Esmiralda said with a soft frown. "It is taking its toll."

"All the stress," Robin frowned. At the sight of the elementals appearing, Earth looked over with a concerned rumble. On being told what was going on, it looked to the other elementals there. Wind now looked over at Tintagel and Elvey to let out a smirking laugh. Ambrosia actually found herself giggling at what it was telling her. Esmiralda found herself giggling, too.

"When you girls giggle, something isn't right," Tintagel groaned.

"I have to pull in a few more," Elvey muttered and focused to see who else was sleeping. Kole, Pantha, Aqualad, and Speedy were next. Raven, Cyborg, Jinx, Herald, and Kid Flash finally made it in. Only after they were seated did Elvey nod that they had enough there.

"We need more here," Cyborg frowned.

"Until Ambrosia is stable enough, we can only do small amounts," Elvey shrugged. "It cannot be helped right now. What more is there to say?"

"I wonder," Cyborg mused. He activated a recording device. "If this works, I'm gonna be trippin' up! If it does, it will make things much easier!"

"And, if it doesn't, I can make a vision on a wall," Jericho chuckled.

"You may have to do that," Tintagel nodded. Wind gave a howling call to remind them that it was waiting. Elvey sighed and looked at his brother-in-arms. Tintagel gave a small shrug, and they started to walk down the dirt path once again to the expanse of dirt. Elvey was rather glad that Starfire's clinginess was put in check. He knew it was there, but she had it under control.

"Friend Ambrosia? Are you okay?" Starfire asked.

"I should be fine," she sighed. "I am just...very tired. All the time now."

"Is the crystal helping?" Raven asked.

"It does help," Ambrosia nodded. "There are times that I feel I use it more than I should."

"The crystal knows. You are bearing a child that is not normal. It was prepared," Esmiralda smiled down at her daughter. "Don't worry, my dear. Everything is fine."

Ambrosia watched Tintagel and Elvey walk away, and she found herself shivering. Esmeralda gasped and waved for them both to come back. Wind now helped with that decision by sending a rather strong gust to push both strong Fae back. They looked at each other and ran back over to their daughter.

"What is it?!" Elvey hissed. He found himself getting hugged, and Tintagel was in the same predicament. "My daughter? What's wrong?"

"Not yet. Don't train yet," she whispered.

"It is Aelfric," Esmiralda frowned. "The child knows that you both are a part of young Robin and King Jericho. He wishes for you all to be close. Just for a little bit."

"Spoiled child," Tintagel chuckled.

"Were there any Kings that wanted to be here?" Bushido asked.

"Good question," Elvey said. He scanned and chuckled. "None are sleeping. We're fine."

"Ambrosia?" Tintagel whispered to her. She had fallen asleep on him. Wind was actually being sympathetic. It knew that Ambrosia was in a delicate state. All of the elementals knew. When Tintagel tried to pull away, she whimpered. Esmiralda stopped him with a smile.

"Give her ten minutes. Elvey, dear, help him. Young ones, give them some space around King Jericho and Robin, please?" Esmiralda asked. Beast Boy scooted aside, and the others were quick to take his example. Bruce mused and seemed to chuckle.

"Do you think I could go up against that Earth guy? Just to see what it's like?" Bruce asked.

"Ahh..." Elvey gaped with a touch of shock. That look alone should be a warning.

"You weren't here when Earth tested us," Tintagel said grimly. "I will not give any details."

"That's fine. I won't get hurt, right?" Bruce asked.

"No. When you know all is lost, it will end," Esmiralda nodded at Earth's rumble.

"Are you sure?" Robin asked his mentor.

"If I lose, you can call me an idiot," Bruce grinned.

"I'll take you up on that!" Robin grinned back.

"Dude..." Beast Boy sniggered. The other Titans were just as amazed. The older man stood up and jogged down to the dirt patch. He wanted to test the Earth Elemental for himself. Earth now towered over him and thought. Then, before Bruce could blink, it slammed its fists into the ground to cause a sudden shift into the land. A large crack appeared and splintered towards him at break-neck speed.

Bruce gaped and barely jumped out of the way in time before falling into the crevice. Water urged for him to run to Earth. He nodded and started to sprint over. Much like Elvey and Tintagel's testing, Earth had spikes of rock shoot up from the land. It wasn't as intense, since Bruce was still human, but it wasn't as lenient, either.

When the pillars of stone started to splinter and fall down, his jaw dropped in complete shock. He bolted past the first one, ran up the second one, and fluidly jumped and ran down the third one. Right as the ground was about to drop away underneath him, he jumped once more and landed next to a massive hand of Earth. He skidded to a stop with shock that he survived the whole ordeal. The elemental roared with laughter, as the land reformed. Bruce was completely out of breath and on his knees. Elvey knew that Earth wasn't so hard on him. Earth now helped him get back to the others with a massive hand.

"It was twice as bad with us," Tintagel chuckled.

"Are...you...serious...?!" Bruce panted. Elvey nodded with a tight smile. Jericho was clearly worried about his wife's condition.

"Father, you're going to hate me," Jericho muttered. "You may need Wind and Fire to test you together. After this training, you both will need to be close."

"What?" Tintagel gaped at him.

"He's right," Robin said with a worried tone. "I mean, if you both are a part of us, then Aelfric sees you both as just as important. I think tonight will be okay for you guys to train. But...we can't do another dream session with you guys away from us."

"Essi? What do you think?" Elvey asked.

"I fear that young Robin is correct," Esmiralda winced. "You may have to do this training with both Wind and Fire against you. I am sorry..."

"No. We'll do this," Tintagel nodded. "Can we do this now? The sooner we get it done, the sooner our daughter can truly rest with us."

"Aelfric, you can do this," Elvey smiled and ran a hand over Ambrosia's belly. "One more training away from us. Okay? Just for tonight. We'll be with you during all the others."

A massive bought of kicking happened before calming down. The baby clearly didn't want them to leave, but he understood, too. Two more kicks were given to show it was fine. Esmiralda beamed when Ambrosia woke with a small cough. Jericho rocked her and kissed her temple.

"Twenty minutes," Robin judged. "I think each kick stands for ten minutes."

"You may be right," Elvey nodded. "You alive, Mr. Wayne?"

"Barely," Bruce said, as he rested in a chair. The Titans giggled and laughed. Elvey and Tintagel nodded again and looked over at the ground. They paused in shock. Wind and Fire were side by side and waiting for them. And both looked rather eager to test them. They nervously walked to the middle of the dirt arena and stood tall to show they were ready. Bruce's jaw dropped at how Fire made a lake of molten lava around them. Wind howled and shot up several large chunks of earth into the air to float seemingly out of reach. Burning tornados and dust devils now blazed around them with super-heated force.

"Nice knowing you," Tintagel muttered.

"You, too," Elvey smirked. They both leapt as one when they felt the ground shudder beneath them. The lava had just eaten it away when they landed on a floating slab of earth. It tilted dangerously, and they managed to move to keep it level. A gust of searing hot wind scorched under their feet to make them hiss with pain, but they endured it. They had to jump from one slab to another, as lava erupted from the molten pool to eat away at each slab.

It was when they felt the wind getting stronger around them that they started to panic.

"To the center!" Tintagel hissed. Elvey nodded and they jumped from slab to slab. They dodged flying bits of molten rocks in the fiery tornado they were now in. Wind howled its rage, as they evaded everything. Fire chuckled, and the molten lava start to raise up to form a volcano. The two of them were now dodging debris that started to fly out of the mouth of the mini volcano under them. It was getting ready to erupt, and they were scrambling to get back out into the gales of wind that barraged them. This was by far the toughest they ever had to endure. It almost rivaled that of Earth, but it was because they were against two elementals. Just as they started making progress, the worst thing possible happened.

"Father!" Ambrosia cried out at the pain Aelfric gave her. Robin gasped and tried to calm her. Jericho now gave a hard glare at the two Fae men on the field of lava. Wind and Fire both stopped everything abruptly. The two Fae men survived everything, even though the test wasn't done. _Ambrosia was showing severe signs of stress. She needed them close now._  Even Esmiralda was in shock at how bad this had gotten.  _Aelfric couldn't wait anymore._

"Hurry!" Beast Boy cringed. Wind was able to carry them over on the slab of rock they were on. Ambrosia burst into tears when they both hugged her. The other Titans were stunned. Even Bruce didn't know what to think about this.

"It's not your fault, my daughter," Elvey whispered, as he rocked her. "It's fine. The elementals aren't going anywhere. We can train again after Aelfric is born."

"Yeah," Tintagel nodded, as he held his daughter. She was still sobbing against him and clinging to him. "It's all right. I'm here now."

"Why...did Sinlus...do such...?!" she whimpered. Elvey hissed and hugged her tighter.

"My daughter, your crown will protect you. King Jericho will protect you. Everyone is ready to rise up to defend you at all hours," Esmiralda soothed. "You have nothing to fear."

_:My Queen, he cannot even touch you in your dreams anymore. Can you only imagine what would happen if he tried with four of the strongest elementals in existence bearing down on him?:_  Robin chuckled to her. That got a tiny giggle from her. Elvey nodded to him with a small smile. _It was a good thought to give her._

"I think he might give them indigestion," Jericho grinned.

"Who?" Beast Boy asked.

"Sinlus if he got here. With those elementals tearing at him," Robin smirked.

"Dude! That would make an awesome video game!" Beast Boy gaped. That got them all laughing. "Seriously! It would be so cool!"

"I'd beat you at it! Besides, what would the point of the game be?" Cyborg asked.

"Rack up points for mass beating on him with various elementals!" Beast Boy said proudly.

"Sounds better than Stinkball," Raven chuckled.

"Stinkball is the ultimate game!" Beast Boy scowled. "We just need a referee!"

"Count me out," Herald smirked.

"I think I'll be busy," Bushido smiled. Ambrosia listened to the light bickers with a complete wave of exhaustion. When she started to cry again, Elvey was able to rock her close.

"Hush," he whispered. "Yes. What happened was wrong. But, we're here now. Nothing will happen. I vow this. You have my absolute word."

"I think this training is done," Tintagel sighed. "Overall, it wasn't that bad."

"No, it wasn't," Elvey smiled softly. Bruce thought and leaned over to whisper to them.

"I want you all to come over. Maybe when everyone is awake," he said. "I think it would be good. We'll have some breakfast and talk about current events."

"We can plan for that," Elvey nodded. "Is a moon crystal by your front door?"

"Yes. I even put one in the backyard garden," he chuckled.

"Okay. We may be able to build a teleporter there for other Fae to reach you. That shouldn't be too hard to do. We'll even show you how it works," Tintagel nodded with a small grin.

"I can look forward to that," Bruce nodded back. They shook hands, and Bruce vanished away. When all that remained was the six of them with Beast Boy, they were able to calm her a bit more.

"Star didn't want to go, but she had to," Robin frowned. "She worries about My Queen, too."

"I know," Elvey nodded. "Hush, now. Are you ready to wake up?"

"No," Ambrosia trembled. "You'll...be gone..."

"I'll be there through Robin," he whispered.

"It...isn't the same anymore..." she admitted. That had him stiffen.  _This wasn't good._

"We can't have physical forms right now. We will likely never get them back," Tintagel said. "If we tried, we would need our crowns. They have moved on, and mine has died. Our bodies were also destroyed. We are only here in spirit."

"Ambrosia, we are always with you. Why do you feel this way?" Elvey asked.

"I spent...over a thousand years..." she whimpered. Elvey was able to think to Robin, and he let his son move forward to pull her close and kiss her. Elvey then rose up and pulled Esmiralda close to kiss her in the same manner. Beast Boy was very confused.

"You forget that Elvey is her father. He is not in Robin in the dream session," Tintagel smiled. "He won't kiss her, so he had Robin do it. He's satisfying his own urge to kiss her by kissing Esmiralda."

"Oh!" Beast Boy blinked.

"I love you, my Queen," Robin whispered to her.

"I love you, too, Robin," she whispered back. She let him rock her gently in his arms, and she sighed softly. He kissed her again and muttered lightly in her ear. "Will you?"

"I'll be the first one you see when you wake," he smiled.

"Promise?" she asked.

_:I vow.:_  he mentally whispered with a loving, masked gaze. Elvey rested a hand on his son's shoulder to nod. Robin looked over at Beast Boy and said, "If Star is trying to look for me, can you keep her busy for a bit? Ambrosia really needs me close."

"I can do that," Beast Boy nodded with a large grin. "I'll have her play with Silkie with me. I'm sure he's lonely. Oh! We can use Silkie as a trap for Cyborg's next lunch!"

That got them all laughing and giggling, as the dream session ended.


	39. Chapter 39

When they woke up, Robin was quick to let Ambrosia see him first, as he promised. Jericho lay back in the bed to let her be with him now. A short bit later, his wife reached for him to be with him. Once the need to be with them was gone, Elvey came out to help comfort Aelfric.

" _You're a spoiled little boy,_ " he muttered. The kick he got back had him laughing softly. " _It's actually daylight. The dream session spent all night to do. It was a very long one!_ "

" _You're telling me,_ " Tintagel muttered through Jericho. " _I think an hour's worth of sleep can be done. Then we'll see what Mr. Wayne needs. He said breakfast._ "

" _We'll keep Ambrosia happy with the ice cream. I wouldn't trust any human food for her right now. I'm also curious if Cyborg was able to record the dream session. It would be interesting, if he did. I also want to know about the cylinder weapon he was working with. If it did work, I want to witness that!_ " Elvey smirked. He let Robin take over when Ambrosia pulled him close. She took up his pendant to press against her crown with a form of comfort. The intense, happy shimmering quickly took place, and Jericho moved to press his crown close to hers.

"Just...stay like this..." she whispered.

"Of course," Robin smiled. Jericho had his eyes closed in his own form of comfort. It was a deep, intense feeling of complete calm that he had. It was something he desperately needed from all the stress he was going through. His hand was resting on her belly, and he sighed at the happy kicks he got. At the sound of the door knocking, he opened one green eye and seemed to glare at the intrusion. The sound of Beast Boy talking to the knocker was quick to show that he was on it.

"It was Cyborg," Ambrosia smiled. "He was able to record the dream."

"Good," Jericho muttered. "We need another hour. At least that."

"I'll fix it," Robin said and reached for his communicator. He moved carefully to keep his pendant close to her crown. He didn't want her to endure any stress. He sent off the message for no disturbances for an hour. That Ambrosia desperately needed the rest, and that he would join them the moment all was well. He also mentioned that his benefactor wanted to meet with him later, too. Now that it was set, he placed the device down and lay back with a tired sigh.

_:What's wrong?:_  Ambrosia asked. She pulled him close and nuzzled him.

_:Far too much to worry about now, my Queen. These villains are coming out of hiding. I can't really train to fight any of them, but I don't worry about it now. It's easy to hear them coming. Mostly all of them are human, so they seem...sloppy to me. No matter how much they try to hide, I simply know where they are. It's stunning to me at how simple it is.:_  Robin gave a small smile.

_:Very true, dearest. Just remember to not let the sensations cloud your sense of judgment. It is very easy to lose track of your thoughts, if you let them overwhelm you. If you don't keep focus, then you will fail to see the obvious. So far, you are doing better than most that I have witnessed. I am very proud of you.:_  she beamed at him. He turned and kissed her hard. He also needed nectar, and she readily gave him what she could. With each swallow he did, he could feel his inner well open that much more. Elvey was surprised at how fast it was forming, but it could be from his pendant, too.  _That and Ambrosia's blood._ He lay back again with a form of rare contentment. Then he coughed. Right after that, his body wracked with severe pain. Ambrosia gasped and released his pendant to help him.

"Fight it!" Jericho growled. He sat up now and held Ambrosia to him. She mentally helped him get through the intensity of the sudden attack, and Robin coughed again when it was over. His gut gnawed at him with intense hunger, and Ambrosia fed him a small amount of ice cream when Jericho gave her a bowl. One full spoonful had him gasping with intense relief. A split-second later, he felt like he ate an entire turkey just by himself.

"You eat three whole bowls of that, and one mere spoonful gives me a stomach ache!" Robin winced. He finally had to belch to get rid of most of the pain, and he blushed at the giggle Ambrosia did. "I should just stick to the honey from now on. Or a smaller spoonful."

"A smaller spoonful would be best," Jericho grinned. "We'll work with it."

"Think we can sleep? Or should we just wake up?" he asked. As a response, Ambrosia settled back down into the pillows and pulled them both down with her. Robin giggled softly with her and sighed at the feel of his pendant back up against her crown. Jericho was quick to get back to where he was before with his crown against hers. The rest of the hour was spent just like this. It was what the three of them clearly needed.

"We should plan a day to just lounge around in bed," she smiled. She stretched between them to show she was ready to move.

"I wish I could do that again!" Robin chuckled. "The only time that tends to happen is when I get a cold or some kind of illness."

"No need to worry about that," Jericho grinned. "Fae never get sick."

"Good thing I'm not going to school anymore," he smirked. They all started to dress, and Robin was quick to help Ambrosia dress in an overly large, deep blue gown. It was purely a maternity dress.

"School?" she asked. Jericho smiled and took over on finishing her dress.

"A place of learning for kids," Robin said. "I was sort home schooled on the road. Since I traveled in a circus, it was hard for me to stay in one place. I had to learn on the run."

"And it worked?" she smiled.

"Well," he sighed. "Bruce had to catch me up a year. Just to brush up on various things. Like my spelling and mathematics. Cyborg helps me out now and then."

"Hmm. Maybe instead of training us physically, we can learn mentally. We have a lot of books that we have to read. Spells that we need to memorize and test. We can keep all the physical stuff away for later. Ambrosia could even study with us. We should have Raven start to pull a number of books for us to start working with. Granted, Elvey knows a lot, but there is no such thing as too much knowledge," Jericho grinned. Robin gave a small glare that was clearly from Elvey, and he only grinned even wider.

"I may be sleeping while you both study," she frowned. "I'm hungry again."

"Here," Robin was already handing her a bowl from her intense thought. "We will need more."

"A lot more," Jericho agreed. On watching her eat, he was stunned. "That's her fourth bowl..."

"Yeah..." Robin winced. Grabbing his communicator, he contacted Cyborg. "How is the ice cream coming along? Any idea?"

"Glad you asked! I made one whole three pound carton!" he grinned in the screen.

"Can you triple that order? Ambrosia will clean it out in one sitting," Robin said.

"What?" Cyborg blinked.

"How long did it take to make?" Jericho asked.

"It took all night," he admitted. "It takes a while for the honey to bond with the ice cream."

"Not good. We may need Mr. Wayne's ice cream facilities," Robin frowned. "There will be no other way. I wonder, though. Ambrosia has a form of unlimited charging power with the crystal. Cyborg, can you build a mega freezer? In the Tower and in the castles? If I'm guessing right, she can probably stock them full of what she needs. As long as she recharges after each conjuring, it should be okay. Anything you make will be emergency rations. Same with anything left over."

"I can work on the freezers. That's no problem. What do you three plan to do?" Cyborg asked.

"Mr. Wayne invited us to his place. We need to make a gazebo there. Hmm. Maybe we can set up an emergency freezer there, too. Just in case," Jericho said.

"If he gives the okay, I'm all for it," Cyborg agreed.

"Thanks. Oh, have Raven start stockpiling as many spell books and history books of Fae culture that she can. If Jericho and I can't train physically, we may as well train mentally," Robin said.

"Roger that!" Cyborg nodded. "I'll spread the word."

"Thanks!" Robin smiled and disconnected the signal. "Okay. We are all dressed and cleaned up. We all did eat, but I'm sure we can eat a little more. At least I can. I tend to have a bit of an appetite now. We'll have to see. But, we need to head to that mansion. Ready to go?"

"I have a lock. I can take us all there now. It's nightfall here, but morning there. So much for our sleep schedule. At least yours is on track," Jericho chuckled. Ambrosia sighed and seemed to droop. Robin thought and grabbed the chair that Cyborg made for her.  _She would be able to keep from walking, and she could use it as an emergency bed._  Jericho found himself grinning. _It would work perfectly for her pregnancies._  "I'll have to thank him for making this chair later."

"I'm sure he knows," Robin winked. "At least it's vinyl now."

"Don't remind me," Jericho muttered. "We ready?"

Ambrosia was seated comfortably, and the chair easily supported her posture. Both Robin and Jericho put their hands on the armrests, and the teleport was done quickly. When they appeared in front of the giant manor with double-set doors and a massive stone archway to reach the house, Robin rang the bell. The house was massive and made to be like an ancient Victorian style estate. A stone pathway at least half a mile long came out from the side road to the massive mansion. Sections of forest area, small gardens and orchards dotted the area within a mile. An elderly man in a tux greeted them when the doors finally did open up to welcome them.

"Alfred! Good to see you," Robin smiled.

"Oh! Young Master, ah, Robin," Alfred smiled. He wore the standard black and white tux, had his gray hair neatly combed at the sides from his balding head, and he had a rather clean shaven face, save for the slight mustache he had. Glasses sat on his nose in a perfect manner. He was a touch short, but that was mainly from age. He still held himself with an air of respect and utmost patience. His tone was wavering a bit, but that was from his age. He was still strong in his intellect and stature, but Robin noticed that the older man seemed to wince here and there.  _Was he in pain?_

"Yeah. We can stick with that," he winked. The butler nodded and let them inside. "How have you been lately? I see you're still able to get out of bed."

"Nothing a cold compress here or there cannot fix," Alfred smiled.

"A cold compress?" Ambrosia frowned. Now the butler looked at her and paused in shock at her beauty. Jericho sighed and lightly stood in front of her. He came to rather quickly and looked a touch embarrassed. "It's all right. It...happens quite a bit."

"Does it?" Alfred frowned.

"More like a lot," Robin muttered. "But, it's fine now. Where's Mr. Wayne?"

"He is still waking up. I was up in case you appeared. He did mention guests today," Alfred chuckled. "Do you have a car?"

"No. We teleported in," Jericho said.

"You...?" the butler blinked. Jericho now pointed to his crown and to Ambrosia's crown.

"You haven't been told about them, have you?" Robin smiled.

"I am afraid not," Alfred said.

"How much time do we have before Mr. Wayne wakes?" Ambrosia asked.

"Master Bruce tends to take an hour to fully awaken," Alfred thought aloud.

"We can tell you what we can," Jericho smiled.

"Shall I make some tea or coffee?" the butler asked.

"We're good. Let's sit in the parlor," Robin suggested.

"A sound idea," he nodded. "Since you were gone, not much has changed."

"I noticed. Are you all right?" Robin asked when he saw the man limp a bit. Alfred was surprised. He was hiding that fact rather well.  _And Robin caught it?_  Robin did notice the man appeared to be in a form of pain.  _This only verified it._

"Oh..." Alfred sighed. "Old age is both a blessing and a curse. I awaken with more stiff joints than I care to admit. My posture and health is excellent, I can assure you. It's just the age talking."

"No. It is more than that," Ambrosia frowned, as she studied him. "Darling, I can help him."

"As long as you don't overexert yourself," Jericho nodded.

"Help me?" Alfred smiled. "How do you assume such a thing?"

"I am a Queen of the Fae with intense healing powers. As a Titan, I am only noted for being able to work with plants and animals, as I am a being of Nature. My royalty status is hidden from human society," she giggled softly. When she rose up from the chair, Alfred noticed her pregnancy right away. "May I come close to you to see if I can help you? I did help Mr. Wayne with his injuries, too."

"He told me that his masseuse fixed him up!" Alfred said with surprise. "I shall berate him for the misinformation later. Well...if you can assist me, I would appreciate it. Perhaps I'll get up easier in the morning after this. What must I do?"

"Just remain as you are," she smiled. Jericho was a bit happy that the older man was not totally affected by Ambrosia's beauty. He watched his wife carefully walk up to Alfred and place her hands on his back. Closing her eyes slightly, her crown flared a soft blue to show that a form of healing was definitely needed. "You have more than just aching joints, it seems. You...fell down?"

"You can tell?!" Alfred blinked with a very slight form of surprise. "Well...I did. I was cleaning a chandelier when I lost my footing. Some of the polishing wax dripped, and I did not see where I stepped. Luckily, I was not on the ladder when it happened. I may see if Master Bruce can make levers for the higher ones to bring them down for cleaning."

"I'll talk to him about that," Robin nodded. Her crown flared out even stronger, as various joints mended. Much of the pain Alfred had was from old age, but the fall had also shifted a couple bones in his pelvis. The elderly butler felt no pain at all, strangely enough. It was just an intense warmth that moved through him. When she finally backed away, he felt twenty years younger!

"You should be well now," she said with a sigh and a soft smile. "You had quite a few problems. Most of the major ones were fixed. The fall damaged a hip bone and jostled your spine. I took care of your joints, too. But, I'm hungry again."

"I shall fetch you something," Alfred smiled.

"No need," Robin said. "Ambrosia, I need some Fae honey ice cream. The largest bowl you can get. Can you make some for me?"

She nodded and her crown flared out. The bowl easily appeared in his hands. Alfred's jaw dropped at this. Robin took no more than a mere lick from the spoon and gave her the rest. Jericho chuckled and said, "Human food can make her ill. This is a special ice cream that she needs. Fae honey is a very dense and filling nectar. Half a spoonful of this makes me feel like I ate a Christmas dinner and then some! She needs at least four bowls of it now. All courtesy of her pregnancy."

"Is there a way to make such an extravagant dish?" Alfred asked.

"It's in the works, but it's a very slow process. We're hoping to build a freezer here to store it. The Tower and a couple castles we have will also carry stockpiles," Robin said. "Her pregnancy is not only demanding, but dangerous. A lot is riding on it."

"You did say that you would fill me in," Alfred chuckled.

"You may as well have a seat. It's quite the tale," Jericho smiled.

"Of course. Now, that's odd! My glasses are fuzzy. Wait...I don't need them?!" Alfred blinked when he removed his glasses. He put them on, and his sight blurred. He took them off and his vision was crystal clear. "Did you restore my sight?!"

"Yes," Ambrosia nodded with a small blush. "It is the way Fae healing works. I healed all that needed to be healed. You feel younger, I take it?"

"By twenty years!" Alfred said. He did pocket the glasses now and chuckled to himself.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" Robin asked.

"I did have a spot of toast and jam," the butler nodded. Robin whispered to Ambrosia, and a small jar of Fae honey appeared in his hands. Robin now gave this to him.

"When you feel hungry, just dab a little of that in your mouth. Trust me," Robin smiled.

"I shall," Alfred smiled back. He did do just that, since toast only went so far from his new appetite, and he paused at how full he got from the smallest taste. "Does Master Bruce know of this?"

"He does," Jericho chuckled. "Anyways, let us fill you in."

"Please do," Alfred nodded. He did notice how Robin was sitting rather close to Ambrosia. Even when she drifted off to sleep in her chair, she was resting her head against his shoulder. He redirected his attention back to Jericho. He was amazed at everything he was learning.  _If it wasn't for what I just witnessed and went through, I would have thought of it all as a mere tale!_

"And now you know everything," Jericho said. He knew he was on a time limit, so he could only give short versions of everything. It was five minutes to the end of the hour when he finished talking.

"It's a lot to take in. We know," Robin nodded.

"I shall excuse myself for now and see to Master Bruce," Alfred said elegantly, as he rose up from his chair. He paused with surprise at how effortlessly it was to stand now. _It clearly feels as if I was twenty years younger!_ He cleared his throat for that age-old sense of butler pride to come back. At the slight tightness in the sleeves of his coat, he now mused that he may have to see if some of his older jackets would need to be worn.  _Did my height increase?_

Robin was only grinning softly, as the butler walked off. Even he saw the years shed from him. It was even more when the Fae honey was sampled. The man's life was now extended for another fifty years.  _It would likely stay that way the more the honey was eaten._  He'd let him know later.

When Bruce opened up his bedroom door to see his rejuvenated butler in front of him, he paused with complete surprise. "Alfred? What happened to you? Why aren't you wearing your glasses?"

"Well, Master Bruce, it appears that I no longer need them. Our new guests are quite accommodating," Alfred chuckled. "Do you need anything to start your day?"

"Wait, they're here?! Already?!" Bruce gaped. "Uh, no. I'm good. How long were they here?"

"The past fifty-five minutes, Sir," Alfred nodded. "I have your usual breakfast of coffee, eggs, and toast waiting for you. Did you want the croissant this morning? Or the usual white and rye?"

"A croissant would be nice. Thanks," Bruce said.

"Very good, Sir. I shall have it ready for you," Alfred nodded and walked off briskly.

"I wonder if Ambrosia healed him," Bruce chuckled. "But...why does he look younger?"

He was clearly puzzled about that, but he knew he'd likely get his answers in time. Sighing to himself, he finished dressing and walked out into the main hallway. His mansion could have almost been up to par with Ambrosia's castle home. The only difference was that the look of the mansion was darker. It was built with a foreboding Gothic touch of dark grays and black. The castle was much lighter and brighter in warm stone colors of pale yellow to gold.

When he got to the parlor, he smiled at the sight of Ambrosia sleeping rather deeply against Robin's shoulder. Jericho was looking out one of the stained glass windows that overlooked the garden pathway on the side of the house. He was trying to see where to place the gazebo.

"Rest well?" Jericho chuckled without turning to see it was him. He could easily hear him coming. "Hopefully Earth wasn't too rough with you."

"I asked for it," Bruce smirked and sat down. "That, um, elemental isn't here, right?"

" _No, but a lesser one could be contacted,_ " Robin mused, as Elvey came out. " _Did you want me to call one for you? I'm sure it would be quite eager to assist._ "

"No, but thanks for the offer," Bruce said with a shake of his head. "I don't want it to wreck the city I help take care of. I have enough on my plate."

" _It could help you track down various enemies,_ " Elvey hinted. " _You would be amazed at what having an elemental protector could do._ "

"If I'm ever in a bind, I'll call you first," Bruce grinned. Elvey started laughing softly. "I like knowing I can fend for myself. I don't want to be lazy."

" _Of course,_ " Tintagel said, as he made himself known. Jericho turned and said, " _I think the gazebo would work well in the very center of the garden structure. We can design it to look just like the mansion. We'll show you how the crystals work, too._ "

"I can see that! That will work," Bruce nodded.

"Oh," Robin said to get his attention. "I'd like to have Cyborg build a freezer in this place. For an emergency storehouse for Ambrosia's ice cream. He can get right on it, if you agree."

"If I can use the freezer for other things, then, yes. Do it," Bruce nodded. "How is the ice cream production? Is it going well?"

"It took a whole night for one large container," Jericho sighed. "Ambrosia can conjure up what she needs, now that she has an unlimited charge source from her crystal, but we still have to be careful."

"I see. I didn't give over any ice cream samples yet. Also...did you do something to Alfred?" Bruce smiled. "He seems...better! Younger, even."

"Ambrosia did heal him. It appears that he fell down while cleaning a chandelier. You may want to make mechanical levers for a few of them. He wasn't on the ladder, but he slipped on some polish," Robin frowned. "I saw he was limping."

"He did?! Hmm. Yeah, I can get a crew in to do that. I didn't want him to polish those! I mean...yeah, they do get cobwebs, but he's not as agile as he used to be," he frowned.

" _That changed,_ " Jericho chuckled. " _He tasted a little Fae honey. He said he felt twenty years younger after Ambrosia healed him. After tasting some food from the Fae, he shed another thirty years. Don't let just anyone in on that secret. Okay?_ "

"Did I just hear you right?!" Bruce gaped.

"You did," Robin nodded. His communicator went off, and he answered it. "Yes? What's up?"

"What books did you need? I have Star helping me," Raven said.

" _Whatever you can get your hands on,_ " Elvey said. " _The more the better._ "

"Got it," Raven nodded and hung up.

"What's that about?" Bruce asked.

" _Since we can't train in the dreams, it's been decided to work on mental capacities,_ " Elvey said. " _Book reading and spell memorization. Robin needs this._ "

"From the magic in him now. Right," Bruce nodded.

" _He had a fit this morning,_ " Jericho sighed. " _He needs to start getting it under control._ "

" _The other Titans can train. As you know, we can't leave Ambrosia's side,_ " Robin frowned.

"Hmm?" Ambrosia blinked awake.

"Nothing, my Queen. Just talking about training," Robin smiled. She nodded and sighed, as she closed her eyes again. "Still very tired?"

"Always seems to be the case now. And I'm hungry again," she winced. Another bowl of the strong ice cream was conjured up for Jericho, and he gave it to her.

"I want three bowls of that," Robin said. After they were made for him, he set them aside. "She can't make anything for herself, really. She makes them for us, and we give her what she brings forth. If she's not careful, it could drain her. The crystal at her throat is likely the only thing able to help her. And, yes, it's very sentient. It's aware of everything."

"It's alive?" Bruce frowned. In response, the pulsing shard of crystal shimmered, as though giggling in its mithril crystal casing. "Wow..."

" _It is a direct source of raw Fae energy. It is a true source of Fae power,_ " Elvey said softly. " _If you tried to grab it, the shock you got from my pendant would be nothing compared to what you would feel from the crystal. You would likely lose your hand._ "

"Okay. I'm not touching it," Bruce winced. At the sight of his breakfast, he nodded. "Thank you, Alfred. They want to build a gazebo in the main garden just outside. Can you ensure that the area would work and free of debris?"

"Of course, Sir," Alfred nodded.

"No, don't bother with that!" Jericho waved at him. "I'll handle all the minor details."

"Fine," Bruce chuckled. "Actually, Alfred, they want to build a large, heavy duty freezer. Do we have a place we can put one? Mainly for Ambrosia's needs, but we can also use it for our own personal food stocks, too. Do you have any ideas?"

"Yes, Sir, we can convert one of our storage rooms near the underground cellar," he said.

"Underground cellar?" Bruce blinked. "OH! Yes. The underground cellar. The room right before it? Perfect notion! Let's do that."

Robin was grinning at him and said, " _They know, but we understand._ "

"You told them?" Bruce blinked.

"No choice in the matter. Robin is Ambrosia's human. All of his secrets were given to her. But, don't worry. We don't tattle," Jericho chuckled. "You may be calling on us more than the other way around. Don't worry. We'll do what we can to help you."

"You had to tell her everything?" Bruce frowned.

"Robin had to give me his body, his mind, and his heart before the blood exchange could be done," Ambrosia said softly. "There was no other option. He is as much an extension of me as I am of him. Slade knows that he will die if they fight."

"You confronted Slade?!" Bruce hissed.

" _I did. Not Robin,_ " Elvey said with an uncaring, bored tone. " _Slade is an idiot. Cunning, but still a sloppy idiot. I refused to let Robin speak with him. That would have ended poorly. If anything, I proved to him how outclassed he was. He knows he will fail, if he tries to come to par with me._ "

"As long as it was you and not Robin," Bruce nodded. "That man is a menace to society. How do you know that Slade may go against him?"

" _The Unseelie Court paid him a visit. But...it was forced. Slade did not willingly go with it. If he lives through the test, he may be released. And he knows that Robin will not put up with his antics,_ " Jericho chuckled. Robin nodded slightly. Then he paused.  _Something felt rather off._ Jericho's look confirmed it. A certain moon crystal implantation showed truth.

" _I need some fresh air,_ " Elvey muttered. He had Robin stand up in a rather relaxed way. " _I'll be back in about, oh, ten minutes._ "

"Fine," Jericho chuckled. Bruce had no idea what was going on. Ambrosia kept her eyes closed, and her husband was quick to let her rest on him.

_:Who does King Elvey sense?:_  she asked.

_:One we were just talking about. Don't worry, my Queen. Elvey will handle him.:_  Robin vowed. The mental kiss they shared was gentle and caring.  _:I may need some nectar when I get back.:_

She gave a soft sigh, but it was consenting. Robin walked outside and let Elvey take over. Canceling out various sounds now, it was easy to pinpoint where to go. He now climbed up to the roof. He was as silent and cautious as he always was. He didn't even need to see where to go. Elvey was able to guide him up the treacherous roof as though he was climbing a steep hill. On reaching the top, he crossed his arms and sighed with irritation.

"You're here?" Slade asked with a touch of surprise.

" _Yes. What do you want?_ " Elvey asked with boredom. " _You may as well leave. This place is now guarded. Are you really that much of an idiot?_ "

"I came here for answers."

" _What answers? Will you live? Sure! If you leave now. There's an answer for you! Robin's benefactor is busy. I came here at his request. Did you come here for technology? I'm surprised you got past the cameras. But...you'll never get past me..._ " a chilling grin was given to him. When Slade side-stepped, Robin was already there with a fist to his masked face. " _Come now. Talk to me. What you're doing is...predictable. And disgusting. Why are you here?_ "

"Wayne Enterprises always has the best edge on technological advancement," Slade growled and shook his head clear from the surprise attack. "I was just looking to upgrade my own arsenal."

" _And you think you will find it here?_ " Elvey grinned. " _You may be better off going into one of his buildings. It is true that Mr. Wayne houses the best equipment for himself. But, this place is now protected. You're just wasting your time. Leave. Now. Before I change my mind on letting you go._ "

"Fine..." Slade muttered. "I still want your name."

" _And you will learn it after the destined time comes,_ " Elvey said with boredom. " _Now go. Don't bother us anymore. I'll always know when you're around._ "

"Very well..." he muttered. When Slade turned, he caught a glimpse of a pendant chain around Robin's neck. At a closer look, he saw where the base of it lay hidden under the tunic he wore.  _Was that the key to Robin's new power?_ When Robin turned to leave, Slade lunged and grabbed it. He was not prepared for the pain that jolted to his very core. Even through the armored tunic, the pendant reacted violently. He screamed with shock and released it.

The worst thing was that he used his left hand to grab it. The Unseelie mark now seared through him even more as though to cook him from the inside out. It was sensitive to Fae energy, and the pendant was loaded with it at a rather full charge. As much as Elvey would be pleased that Slade got what he deserved, he felt that his pendant was almost violated with the nasty mark. To say that Elvey was outraged was an understatement.

" _You idiot!_ " Elvey snapped. " _You really_ do _want to die now, don't you?!_ "

"What...is...that...?!" Slade hissed. The pain was unlike anything he ever felt before.

" _Something that not just anyone can touch,_ " Elvey growled. He focused on the staff in his hands and chanted softly for it to become enhanced with dual blades. A blue fire coursed over them with raw Fae energy. The pendant was completely pissed off.  _It hated the feel of Unseelie. It had to make a point._  " _Apparently, you need to learn a lesson..._ "

"I...already learned it..." Slade gasped. The pain still hadn't left him. His single eye widened at the sight of Robin's body launching at him. Slade was just barely able to dodge the brutal attack, but he didn't escape unscathed. A mere sliver of his index finger on his right hand was barely nicked by the weapon. That alone was enough. A new pain burned through him. He collapsed to the ground and twitched. When the pain coursed to his marked hand, he howled with the pain that happened.

" _That pain will never leave you,_ " Elvey said with a tone of cold satisfaction. " _It will settle in your hand. You may as well cut it off. But...we'll see how well you can endure. In time, the pain may lessen...but it will never leave. You should have never tried to approach me. You should have left when you had the chance. I had respect for you. I still do. But...it's less. Much less. You are a fool. Leave._ "

Slade was in too much pain to respond. He pulled out an emergency smoke capsule to use, but Elvey watched him escape easily through the misting fog. He saw the hidden vehicle speed away. He smirked. _Not only did the weapon mark him, but now Slade would feel pain whenever he thought of Robin. That was the price for grabbing my pendant._

He leapt down as easily as he climbed up and released the enchantment on his weapon. When he walked back into the main entrance, Jericho was waiting for him.

" _Bruce is entertaining Ambrosia. Did Slade really touch the pendant?!_ " Tintagel hissed his shock when he came out. At the grim nod, he ran a hand over his face. " _Moron..._ "

" _I know,_ " Elvey smirked. " _He said he learned his lesson. I doubt it._ "

" _I wouldn't be surprised if he came back to you to remove the pain. It won't leave until the mark does, right?_ " he asked. " _Fae energy lingers for as long as intended._ "

" _It's true. He tried to take my pendant. It didn't agree to be touched. It was unwanted. And it was done with his mark of Unseelie,_ " Elvey growled.

" _What...?!_ " Jericho blinked.

" _The pendant got pissed off. It also had me touch Slade with Fae energy. You saw all of that, right?_ " Elvey asked. " _What I had to do?_ "

" _I did. We'll talk about it later. Ambrosia needs us,_ " he said. Robin gave out a small sigh and followed Jericho back to the parlor. Bruce was showing her some old photographs of what the house was like in its glory days.

"What tower is this?" she asked at a specific image of a single tower in the east wing.

"You know, I'm actually not sure," Bruce grinned. "I know where it is, but I've never been in there. I wonder if Alfred knows."

"We should ask," she smiled. He nodded and rang a bell. Alfred faithfully appeared to see what could be done, and he waited patiently.

"Alfred, what's in the east tower?" Bruce asked.

"It's mainly storage. I told you about it before," the butler said.

"Really? Hmm. We will excavate that storage later," he said.

"Very good, Sir," Alfred nodded. "I shall prepare the tower."

"Thanks," Bruce chuckled. "What do you three plan to do now?"

"Cyborg was working on a couple inventions. We need to see what he has now," Robin said.

"Good! Come back over when you can. You can help me house-keep that section of the mansion. If you find something interesting, you can keep it. If I don't need it, of course," Bruce nodded.

"Can I bring the others?" Robin grinned.

"If they behave," Bruce warned. Jericho was sniggering and grinned at the older man.

"Shall we make the gazebo?" Ambrosia smiled.

"Yes," Bruce nodded. He gave another glance at Jericho and shook his head with a small laugh. Ambrosia got squeezed by her husband, and they walked out to the garden. In the very center, she sighed and focused slightly. Her crown shimmered, and she hummed softly to carefully ask the landscape for permission to be used for Fae energies. As a response, it easily worked with her to flatten out a little more. Bruce stood there with complete surprise at how elegantly the gazebo formed. Jericho added a touch of his focus to shape the gazebo to keep to the theme of the mansion.

Once it was built, the four-way entrance gazebo archway was impressive. Solid dark gray bricks were the base and pillars. White marble steps with gray streaks led up to a small podium of the same stone. Robin was quick to place the proper moon stones into it and activate them. Bruce was now shown which was his home and how to work the crystals.

" _If the crystals glow, they are accessible with direct transport. Right now, yours isn't glowing. It's daylight here. It's night in Ireland, so this crystal is glowing. There is an option to go to the gazebo under the hill, and that's next to it. Those will always glow. You could say that the larger ones are for scenic routes, if you wanted to tour the countryside,_ " Elvey explained lightly.

"Okay. Got it. If they glow, I can get there. How can I get back here, if I don't have a crystal?" Bruce asked. "It's always good to have a way back, you know?"

"True," Jericho chuckled. "Keep a charged moon crystal on you and focus on your gazebo. You can do this with any of ours, too, as long as it's nightfall."

"This is cheating. The airplane companies are going to be pissed. I'll have to use them for normal business procedures," Bruce grinned.

"Of course," Jericho nodded. "We're heading to the Tower right now."

"For Cyborg. Got it. I'll probably get a head start in that tower. If I do find something of interest before any of you, I'll call," he nodded. Ambrosia nodded, and the others shook his hand. They teleported out right after that. "I hope I find something useful. Alfred may insist to do all the cleanup work. And he's younger now. Another fifty years of him waking me up in the morning! At least I can trust him. And why did Robin leave like he did? A breath of fresh air? He knew something. I'll have to check my cameras. I'll ask him when I see him again."

At that mental nod to himself, he went back into his mansion to help Alfred pick apart what was in that elusive tower.  _Maybe I'll find something to give myself an edge?_  Only one way to find out.


	40. Chapter 40

When the three of them arrived at the Tower, Cyborg was grinning. He was in an outdoor training area just along the outside of the Tower. Two cylinders were set side by side. One had moon crystals, and the other had sun crystals. They appeared to look much like a how a triangular cone would be with the crystals being centered in each circle. Beast Boy was very curious of what was going to happen, and he was warned not to touch anything. He saw most of what Cyborg did, since he was bored, but he had agreed to help with the experiment.

"Just do what I told you, okay, BB?" Cyborg said. "All you have to do is flip the switch on each lever one at a time. Not all at once."

"Got it!" he nodded. He saw Ambrosia and squealed at the sight of her. "There you are!"

"Yes. And using your chair, Cyborg," she chuckled.

"Always a good thing!" Cyborg beamed. "I may be able to upgrade it with Fae enhancements."

"If you could, that would be wonderful," she nodded. "Maybe when I sleep again."

"I can do that," he smiled.

"So, what did you find out?" Jericho asked. Robin remained at Ambrosia's side with his hand on her belly. Aelfric was demanding the attention. Another bowl of ice cream was given to her, and Cyborg started to go over what he discovered.

"Like I said before, I was able to record the dream. It's not very clear, though. I'll have to work on it. Since it's a dream frequency, it's a lot different from a normal recording. I'll get it right!" he grinned. "Anyways, I made two cylinders. One has sun crystals, and the other has moon crystals. When I tried to merge them the first time, it didn't go so well."

"It went  _BOOM_!" Beast Boy grinned his fanged grin. "Much like what happens after I touch something. I told him that I didn't do it!"

"Shut up!" Cyborg snorted. "So, in that aspect, I can't merge the crystal types. But, I discovered something neat. The sun crystals are solid offense. The moon crystals can actually heal and recharge crystals. It's weird. Also, if I use one cylinder, I can use it at full power. If I use both, it's half."

"Very interesting!" Jericho blinked.

"Dude, he can melt steel down with the sun crystals!" Beast Boy grinned again.

"Really?" Robin asked.

"I have to start up slowly, though," Cyborg admitted. "If I just push the power through, the crystals break. So, slow to start and slow to back down. It's the same for the moon crystals, too."

"I have to see this," Robin said with his own grin. Ambrosia wanted to see it, too.

"Okay! BB! Put up the first target!" Cyborg said. A switch was flipped for a metal pole about a foot wide and eight feet in height to shoot up from the ground. It was solid steel. He put on the sun crystal cylinder and started to charge. There were six crystals. The smallest one at one inch was in front. They gradually got larger to the six inch one in the back. He didn't use the blue ones for this cylinder. Those he kept for the moon crystal cylinder, since blue held more power for the moon. The crystals ranging from red to yellow actually worked best for the sun cylinder. The smallest crystal had to charge up first. Then the others glowed in suit. A bright, fiery light appeared and sent out a laser to cut smoothly through the first target. Robin laughed when the pole fell to the ground.

"That looks like it can hurt someone," Jericho grinned.

"Wanna know something cool?" Cyborg chuckled. "I can actually control the output. This could be a new type of welding tool for me. I need more power? Pump it up a notch! I need delicate work? Tone it down. I can easily make a more hand-held, portable device for emergency patch jobs."

"That would be useful," Robin agreed.

"You should see that at full power!" Beast Boy grinned. "Like this!"

"BB! NO!" Cyborg gaped. All of the switches were flipped. All of the targets came out to attack. Robin and Jericho moved quickly to protect Ambrosia with shielding spells to keep any shrapnel away from her. Poles shot up around them. Targets flung out with projectiles all over the place. Cyborg had no choice. He pushed the cylinder to max power. A massive, fiery beam now decimated the training area he worked on. Smoldering piles of steel, plastic, and various other mechanical devices were in heaps where they were. The cylinder was carefully toned down bit by bit until it was fully off. Now Cyborg glared at Beast Boy. Even Robin wasn't pleased.

"You could have hurt her," Robin growled.

"I just...wanted to show how cool it was..." Beast Boy cringed.

"I am unharmed. I'm fine," Ambrosia smiled. "Cyborg, next time..."

"Yeah. I'll let someone else flip the switches!" he grumbled. Beast Boy moped, but he went to Ambrosia to snuggle into her for comfort. She rested her hand in his hair with a soft smile.

"Robin, can you find out what's going on with those books?" Jericho asked.

"Yeah, I can. I'll call up Raven," he nodded.

"What else is on the list of things to do for today?" Cyborg asked.

"We are all going back to Mr. Wayne's estate to explore a tower," Jericho smiled.

"Really?!" Beast Boy grinned.

"Yes. He thinks it may hold something of importance there," he nodded.

"Raven and Star will meet us there. Let me call up Bruce," Robin said, as he dialed the number. "We're almost ready stop by! Okay! We can go over now."

"Let me put these away and clean this up," Cyborg said. "BB! You're helping on clean up! You forced this mess to happen, so you get to clean up the trash!"

"Awww!" Beast Boy pouted.

"Go and do your duty," Ambrosia whispered and placed a kiss on his forehead. He swooned and perked up to start grabbing various trashed metal parts. While they worked on cleaning up the training area, she started to fall asleep again. Then she winced, as she woke up.

"Bathroom," Robin muttered.

"Let's find one for her," Jericho nodded. They moved into the Tower and helped her use one of the bathrooms in the main hall. They had to help her move everywhere. Her strength was that depleted.

"It's okay, my Queen," Robin whispered. She clung to him and shivered, as he ran a hand up her back. "I'm going to need some nectar soon. I've been trying to hold back on it."

"You need to tell me," she frowned at this.

"You are already so weakened, my Queen," he frowned back. As her response, she kissed him hard to give him what he needed. When he had enough, he nodded. He couldn't chance refilling his vials. He had two left for emergencies only. He was surprised when he found himself supporting her weight. He gave a slightly worried look to Jericho.

"Can you charge her more, please?" Jericho asked the crystal at her throat. "You may need to do this of your own accord. If you sense her getting weak, she will need your help."

As a reply, the crystal flickered vibrantly to help charge her. With a heavy sigh, Robin said, "I don't think you may be able to leave her side at all. Even after this pregnancy is done. She mentioned that she may be getting with child far more than normal. Every six months, in fact."

At this, the crystal seemed to pause. It was a form of surprise. Then it started to flicker out its light in a various pattern. Robin studied it, but Jericho's mouth dropped.

"It's Morse Code!" he said. "I had studied this as a way to try and communicate! Okay. It says that it is perfectly fine with remaining in Ambrosia's presence. It can help protect her, and it will call to any elemental nearby for assistance. That could be fun."

"I can believe that!" Robin chuckled. He helped Ambrosia get back into the chair and guide her back outside. The training area was finally cleaned up, and they were ready to go.

"Raven contacted me. She's already at the mansion," Cyborg said. "She dropped off the books at the castle, though. Star's with her."

"Good," Jericho nodded. Beast Boy was quick to become a small lap dragon for Ambrosia to pet. When they all appeared at the new mansion gazebo, Starfire was the first to greet them.

"You are here!" she beamed.

"That we are," Jericho nodded. "Let's go inside."

"Okay!" Starfire nodded. She did move over to Robin to get hugged and squeezed. "Is Elvey doing well? It has been some time since I talked to him."

" _I'm doing as well as I can,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _I do wonder if we will find something of interest._ "

"As do I!" she agreed. She frowned when Ambrosia started to nod off again. "She is tired?"

" _Yeah. She gets drained way too fast now,_ " he sighed. " _It's why we have her in Cyborg's chair. It will be crucial to help her for now. Cyborg! Did you want to get started on that freezer?_ "

"I'll do that after the tower exploration. If I can use part of the tower, I think it may be more beneficial. We can stock it full of stuff," Cyborg said.

"Okay. We'll see what can be done," Jericho nodded. Raven saw that Beast Boy was asleep in Ambrosia's lap, but it was fine.  _It would keep him out of trouble._  Bruce waved to them when Alfred let them in. He had his sleeves rolled up to show he was moving boxes around. A few were already pulled out, and Cyborg was quick to help pull more out.

"Your stairs are cluttered. Severely," Raven mused.

"Yeah, well, most of it was just random junk," Bruce shrugged.

"Don't you ever tell me to not hide things in my closet ever again," Robin muttered. Bruce laughed at him. "Seriously! This is one giant closet!"

"I believe your thoughts about Master Bruce are correct," Alfred chuckled.

"Don't get in on it!" Bruce growled.

"Is anyone hungry? I can make a small luncheon for those that are," the butler nodded.

"If you can help make a round of sandwiches, I think that would work," Bruce nodded.

"Very good, Sir," Alfred nodded and walked towards the kitchen. When a rather large wooden box was opened, Ambrosia's crystal suddenly flashed and flickered. Jericho looked over at it and studied the pattern. Then he went to the box, dug around a bit, and pulled out a small wooden case. More flickering of excitement was done as though urging him to open it. Beast Boy yawned and snorted from the bright lights waking him up, but now he was curious.

" _Mr. Wayne,_ " Tintagel said, as he emerged. " _Ambrosia's crystal thinks there is something of vast importance in here. You open it._ "

" _Really?_ " Elvey mused. " _May as well open it._ "

"Perhaps it is something pretty?!" Starfire gasped.

"It must be important, if Ambrosia's crystal wants you to inspect it," Raven mused. Even her robe was curious about this. Beast Boy was now fully alert and wanting to know what was going on. Cyborg had stopped in his mass cleaning to see what the fuss was about.

"Okay..." Bruce chuckled. He pried apart the bindings it was bound in and pulled the ancient mahogany lid off. What sat on an old, blue velvet cushion stunned them all.  _It was a mithril crystal pendant._  It wasn't vibrant from the lack of a good charge, but Tintagel knew exactly what it was.

" _How did you get that?!_ " Jericho demanded as both Tintagel and himself.

"I...forgot I had this..." Bruce gaped. The crystal was an inch around and blue, but not of an intense color. The silver that molded around it was elegantly done with vines and flowers. Small, white moon crystals dotted the flower inserts. The mithril crystal pendant was only about two inches around, but it was priceless to the Fae realm. Alfred had just walked over with his tray of sandwiches and set them down before observing what was found. He snapped his fingers to show he remembered.

"I remember this," Alfred said. "When Master Bruce was but a boy, his parents had been killed. At this time, he realized what he was to become. However, the flying animal he saw led him into a cave structure. Such a cave did not exist where we were before, but it had appeared, all the same. Master Bruce had found himself running into the cave to the dead end. It was there that he found this. It was as though it was waiting for him to find it. He brought it to me, but the cave was gone. If it wasn't for the item he brought me, I would have dismissed his story entirely."

" _That means it was clearly meant for you,_ " Elvey thought hard. " _Bruce, why was it hidden away? That's the part that baffles me._ "

"That was my doing," Alfred admitted. "I did not know what it was. No one claimed it, even though I did not put it in the papers. The box appeared to be very old. It still looks old. Master Bruce was far too young to know how to treat proper jewelry. So, I bound it up and placed it in the crate where it would be safe. Um...do you know what it is?"

" _I do,_ " Tintagel said. " _Much like Ambrosia's crystal, it is a mithril crystal pendant. Very old and ancient. It's uncharged, though. Likely from not seeing the moon for so long. If we charge it, you will see the power that it holds. It may even be sentient. Bruce, that crystal was destined to become yours. If you wear it, you can't show it off to anyone._ "

"I figured as much," Bruce said lightly. He was still in shock over what he had. Starfire was just overjoyed at how pretty it was. Raven was already contacting Herald to have him come over and charge it up. When he did appear, any moon crystals that needed to be charged up were set on the ground. Alfred's mouth dropped at how crystal charging worked. But, it was what happened with the pendant that caught them all by surprise.

As it finally started to charge, it began to call on something. Ambrosia's crystal flickered with a form of joy, and Jericho's jaw dropped with shock. Herald was still told to keep going.

" _What is it?_ " Elvey asked.

" _The pendant. It was infused with an elemental summoning!_ " Tintagel hissed.

" _What?!_ " Elvey gaped.

" _Not a powerful one, obviously, but one that was made to assist. To help when needed,_ " Tintagel said, as he gleaned what Ambrosia's crystal was trying to tell him. " _A rather small Wind Elemental._ "

"Um..." Bruce started. It was his turn for his jaw to drop at the tiny cyclone that appeared. It hovered in front of them with a touch of amusement. Ambrosia coughed a touch and chuckled.

"It can speak to me through my crown," she said. "It wishes to help Mr. Wayne in any way it can. It knows that he is finally ready for it. Oh! Ah, as a show of good will, can you dust all the high places so that Alfred no longer needs a ladder?"

At that, the elemental dissipated. Alfred's stared with delightful surprise at the dust and cobwebs getting sucked away from all of the hanging ornaments and high shelves. The ball of debris was clumped together neatly and tossed out a window. He nodded respectfully to the elemental at this help.

"You can stay," Bruce nodded. The elemental twirled happily. It was only about a foot around in diameter, but that was fine. "What else can you do?"

"It could help with the start of the freezer to keep it chilled," Ambrosia smiled.

" _That will work!_ " Tintagel grinned.

"Speaking of that, where do ya want it?" Cyborg asked.

"Follow me," Alfred gestured. "Sandwiches are here for any that want them."

"Do I still need to help?" Herald asked.

"You're good now. If you want to stay and help clean, it's up to you," Raven said.

"I'd better get back. I was finding more books for you," he smiled. She nodded, and he went to Elvey's castle. His robe had an idea of certain books for him to grab.

The rest of the day was spent in sorting through the odd junk that had cluttered up the eastern tower. The small elemental assisted with all the dust and grime that accumulated through the years. It was even able to get the hard to reach nooks and crannies. There were three floors to the tower. What they found at the top was surprising.

"What's that?" Robin asked at the small box in the corner of the room. It was the only thing in the room, and that surprised them all. Then again, the door was also locked for years.

"Let's take a look," Bruce grinned and opened the box. What he found had him pause. "Wow."

"Is that a wedding dress?" Jericho asked.

"Yeah. My parents' wedding clothes," he swallowed. "Ah...wow..."

"You want us to leave you alone?" Cyborg asked.

"Please..." Bruce nodded. Robin nodded and had the others leave quickly. He saw a glimpse of wedding photos, too. Stuff like that was not meant to be seen by anyone unless they were meant for them. He felt Ambrosia rest her hand on his. He had kept his hand on her belly, and he gave a hard sigh. He understood what his mentor was going through all too well. Even Ambrosia did.

"We shall give Master Bruce some time," Alfred agreed. They told him what was discovered, and this news even saddened the hardened butler. "I'll check on him in a few minutes."

Beast Boy seemed to sigh, but he looked up at Ambrosia when she pet his back. He had remained in his lap dragon form all this time. He finally became his human form to stand next to her. He was clearly worried about something. "I think Brain will be showing up soon."

"What makes you think that?" Raven asked.

"Just...a feeling. Ya know? I dunno how else to put it," he admitted.

"Okay. Why now?" Jericho asked.

"It just kinda hits," Beast Boy said. It was hard for him to explain. "And, if Ambrosia is gonna show me what to do, won't the Unseelie catch on?"

" _You are right,_ " Elvey thought. " _Actually..._ "

" _What?_ " Tintagel asked.

" _My daughter, try and see through Robin,_ " he grinned. " _If you start to nod off, he can watch things for you. This way, you can appear asleep, and Beast Boy will still be able to win._ "

"Oh!" Ambrosia smiled. Starfire blinked at this, but Robin put a hand on her shoulder to squeeze. Ambrosia closed her eyes to focus, and Robin blinked to look around. When she opened her eyes, she giggled softly.  _It clearly worked._

"Good," Jericho grinned. Beast Boy now felt much better.

"So, what else is in these boxes?!" he asked with a beaming, fanged grin.

"Let's wait for Bruce to come back down before opening anything else," Robin said wisely.

"Oh...okay..." he moped. A small pebble was chucked at him from the lesser Wind Elemental, and he scowled. "That's not funny!"

Another pebble was chucked at him to spite him. He became a bird to chase the elemental down to no avail, but it got the others laughing. That was its main goal, too.

"Dude, you will never catch that," Cyborg grinned. Beast Boy landed on his head. That got Cyborg to stutter. "Get off me, monkey-brain!"

"Oh, dear," Ambrosia sighed. More laughter happened. It wouldn't be until thirty minutes later that Bruce would be ready to talk to them again. He had the box taken down to be placed in a secured area with the rest of his treasured belongings. He would likely see about getting the clothes restored, too.

"Feeling better?" Jericho asked.

"Somewhat. I'll get them repaired. Set in glass or something," Bruce nodded.

"Good," Robin nodded. "Did you want to finish this off?"

"Nah. It can wait until tomorrow. Actually, I have a business meeting tomorrow. I think we can just put it all back in the tower," Bruce mused. "We can get back to it later."

"No," Robin said flatly to get him laughing. "It's out. We'll sort."

"Fine!" Bruce grinned. The next two hours were spent sorting and even checking to see if certain items could be given off to charity auctions. A few ornamental pieces were set aside to be appraised. After the last box was finally cleaned out, Alfred served everyone a light dinner. When they were ready to leave, Bruce led them to the gazebo.

"If anything happens, we'll contact you," Jericho said.

"Fine by me," Bruce nodded. The elemental was able to write to Bruce by twirling a slip of paper and a pen together. It did this and dropped the paper for him to read. "Ah. 'If you need anything, have Queen Ambrosia think of me. I will help get Master Bruce.' Okay! We can do that, too."

"Good to know," Robin chuckled. "I'm ready for some shut eye."

"Same!" Beast Boy yawned. The others were feeling it from all the sorting. They left shortly after. Robin, Jericho, and Ambrosia went to the castle. At the mound of books waiting for them, Robin and Jericho both groaned.  _More sorting._  They were thrilled.


	41. Chapter 41

Ambrosia was sleeping in her bed. Jericho and Robin were reclining next to her. Tintagel and Elvey kept their bodies awake so the more human sides could sleep. As much as Jericho didn't require it, Tintagel ordered him to.  _It was needed._ They were going through the various books that were brought to them. The more powerful spell books were set aside. The lesser ones were put in a specific stack. As they continued to sort, a knock was at the door.

" _I thought everyone was asleep,_ " Tintagel frowned.

" _Come in!_ " Elvey said just loud enough. On seeing Beast Boy, they paused. " _What's wrong?_ "

"I can't sleep," he admitted.

" _Robin's asleep, but I can talk to you. What's on your mind?_ " Elvey asked.

"It's Brain. Not my brain, but that Brain guy," he said.

" _Well, we would know that your brain isn't on..._ " Tintagel mused.

"Wha?!" Beast Boy gaped. They snickered.

" _Sorry. King Jericho poked me to tease. He's mildly awake. What thoughts do you have?_ " Tintagel asked. " _If it's about your nemesis, then we need to know._ "

"I want to learn magic. To mess with him," Beast Boy nodded. "I did more reading about dragons and stuff. They can cast spells. I wanna see if I can, too, as a dragon."

" _Um..._ " Elvey frowned. " _Okay. We'll test._ "

"Okay," he nodded. A very basic spell book was found and opened to the first page.

" _Can you read this?_ " Elvey asked. He gave over the book, and Beast Boy tried to make sense of it. He even tried turning the book upside down.

"It's garble to me," Beast Boy frowned.

" _Turn dragon,_ " Tintagel said. He did and looked at the page again. Now the tiny white eyes of his lap dragon form seemed to widen with surprise. _He could read the text._ Elvey and Tintagel now watched with amazement at how easily Beast Boy grasped each basic spell. Dragons were known to be highly efficient with spells. And, with Beast Boy's forms getting fueled with Ambrosia's nectar, this was no exception to him. When he learned what he could, he chirped with confusion. Then he had an idea and shifted bigger. He was able to read more. Now he understood what he had to do.

"I got it," Beast Boy said when he became human. "I can read stuff depending on my size."

" _So...the bigger you get, the more potent the spells,_ " Elvey said with a hint of amusement.

" _Small dragons for small spells. Big dragons for...hmm..._ " Tintagel thought. " _You'll need magic, though. To fuel it._ "

"Yeah. I don't wanna hurt Ambrosia, but do you think moon crystals could help?" Beast Boy asked. "I mean, I think I can learn any spell I want. It's just having the power to make it happen. I think that's where my issue is."

" _You're right. We can't really give you another crystal like Ambrosia's. Hers is a very special case. But, the crystal is very sentient. Let me ask it,_ " Elvey said. When he looked at the crystal, it was already pulsing with a form of excitement. Tintagel had Jericho wake up to see what it was saying.

" _It suggests a flawless moon crystal pendent. Like Elvey's, but not sentient. Just something to hold a charge. You could go with a bunch of small moon crystals for jewelry, but a solitary flawless stone set in silver would work best,_ " Tintagel said.

"What size?" Beast Boy asked.

" _I'd say one inch,_ " Elvey said. " _Preferably a blue color. Let me contact some of our allies and see if they know of one. Hold on._ "

"Kay!" Beast Boy nodded. He reverted back to a larger dragon form to continue reading. Elvey conversed with King Ealdun, and an agreement was reached. He was very curious of Beast Boy's new capability. The other Kings would need to be contacted as part of the alliance. When he learned of the mithril crystal that Bruce had, he was floored.

"He had one?! Found as a child?!" Ealdun gasped through the vocal portal.

" _Yes. A small Wind Elemental was bound to it to assist him. It is always ready to help,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _We were also very surprised._ "

"I would say so! As for the moon crystal, I do have one. It is of my own collection, though. I can give it over on loan until another can be found," he said.

" _Thank you. You will get it back as agreed,_ " Elvey replied in kind. " _How soon can we receive it? We can wait a bit. Beast Boy is reading as much as he can._ "

"We would need the chain to be enchanted to adjust with his growth," Ealdun said calmly. "When the chain is made, I can provide the moon crystal."

" _We would have to make the chain large. Then we can inscribe the spell to activate it,_ " Tintagel said. " _Once it's in effect, Beast Boy can start to wear it. We could even enchant it to not come off unless he gives the proper spell words. Elvey's pendant is in gold, but that's because it was made like a crown. It didn't need any form of enchantment. Beast Boy's moon crystal would need to be in silver. The only problem is that it could become tarnished. He may need to polish it._ "

"I'd say mithril to hold the magic better," Ealdun admitted. Ambrosia woke up now and groaned. Her hunger pains were hitting her hard, and Robin was quick to give her a bowl of ice cream. Beast Boy even shifted back into his human form to help with her. He simply had to at her distress. Then it was a quick trip to the bathroom. When she was settled back in the bed, she was told what was happening with Beast Boy. She was delighted with the news.

"So, you think mithril would be best?" she asked.

"Yeah. But, that stuff's kinda hard to get, huh?" Beast Boy frowned. She thought and focused slightly. A rumbling purr filtered around the room.

"I am doing well," she beamed. "I'm sure you have been listening in to the conversation? What do you think of this?"

Elvey was a touch shocked.  _She called on the Earth Elemental to ask for guidance._ At another thought from a rumbling purr, she nodded with understanding. On looking at Beast Boy, he shifted back into a dragon, snorted in his dragon form, and made a beeline for the closest outside garden. Robin now looked at her with a puzzled expression, and Elvey asked, " _What's going on?_ "

"Earth is going to give Beast Boy some mithril," she smiled and nodded. His jaw dropped. Jericho was now fully awake and holding his wife. He had his face buried against her neck to keep from laughing out so sharply. Robin had to wake up in full.

"I need to see this," he said. Ambrosia nodded. "King Ealdun, I may need you to come here to collect the mithril. It's either that, or I wake up Cyborg."

"Let Cyborg handle it. He has a forge hot enough to work with it. I will come over to provide you with the moon crystal," Ealdun said. "I'll meet you outside of the castle."

"Thank you," Robin nodded. He ran a loving hand over her belly and chuckled at a hard kick. "I promise. I'll be right back. This is important."

Another kick was given, and he sighed.  _Ten minutes._ Ambrosia gave him a glowing smile, and he kissed her to take down a little nectar. He was really trying to limit himself. He walked out of the castle and towards the main garden. A massive stone hand was outstretched with the precious lump of mithril in the center. Beast Boy was able to fly over the hand to collect the rare metal. On reforming human, he grinned and said, "Thanks! This will help!"

Another rumbling purr was given, as the hand sank back down. Ealdun had appeared shortly after with the flawless blue moon crystal. Robin took it carefully and collected the mithril from Beast Boy. On studying the quality and clarity of the crystal, he smiled and said, "Okay. I'll take these right to Cyborg. I'm on a time limit again."

"I will await to see the results," Ealdun nodded. "I'll speak with the other Kings, too."

"Thank you," he nodded. "Beast Boy, you may as well come with me."

"Okay," Beast Boy nodded. After Ealdun left, Robin transported Beast Boy and himself to the Tower. They went straight to Cyborg to wake him up.

"What?!" Cyborg grumbled, as he came out of his sleep mode. "I was having an awesome dream about breakfast! What could possibly be so important?!"

"I need a mithril clasp for this," Robin said, as he showed what he had. "As a dragon, Beast Boy can cast spells. This will help him with a magical focus."

"What?!" Cyborg gaped. "Are you for real?!"

"Yep!" Beast Boy grinned. "I don't want Ambrosia to give me magic. She did enough with letting me breathe fire and stuff. She can't give away too much now. Ya know?"

"True," Cyborg yawned and studied the mithril lump. _It was only five inches around._

"We need it to become a chain and pendant piece," Robin said.

"That's not much for me to work with," Cyborg frowned.

" _The chain doesn't need to be too long. Just large enough for inscriptions to go on it. We can enchant it to change size. Maybe even to stay on until ready to come off,_ " Elvey said when he emerged. " _It's just getting the base forged._ "

"Okay. You need it done now, I take it?" Cyborg asked.

" _Yes. As soon as you can. If you want to sleep more, then you could. But, the sooner this gets done the better. Beast Boy should get more sleep, but I'm sure he'll be reading more books instead. The bigger the dragon he is, the more powerful spells he can cast. With the chain able to adjust to each shift in size, he'll be able to wear it,_ " Robin nodded. " _And, before I forget, we need to be able to remove the crystal. It's on loan from King Ealdun until we get one for Beast Boy. Then the crystal can be permanently set. I vowed to give this crystal back._ "

"Gotcha. I'm sure Kid Flash can help. And a ring won't work?" Cyborg asked.

"Nah. Think about it, dude. If I claw something, it could get stuck in whatever I claw up! Stick with a necklace," Beast Boy said. "Besides, it would look too clumpy on my finger."

"Dude. You are creepin' me out!" Cyborg grimaced. "You're not supposed to be all logical!"

"Well...better late than never?" he grinned widely. Robin chuckled and sighed. Cyborg promised to have the chain and clasp done in the morning with the moon crystal set in. Beast Boy left with Robin to go back to the castle. He wanted to read more, and Ambrosia needed Robin again.

"He'll have it done in the morning," Robin said and settled next to Ambrosia. He ran a hand over her belly to keep Aelfric calm. "Here."

"Thank you," she sighed and took the bowl of ice cream. "How much do you plan to read?"

Beast Boy looked over at her in a slightly larger dragon form and snorted with a toothy grin. She giggled and pointed at a few books for him to read next. They were collected and scoured over. Elvey was just amazed at how fast Beast Boy was absorbing everything. Tintagel was just as amazed. Within an hour, Beast Boy had read over twenty books. A dragon craved knowledge constantly. But now Robin realized something.  _Beast Boy couldn't speak out the spells._

"I just realized something," Robin frowned. "Beast Boy, you can't talk in that form, can you?"

He tilted his head and snorted. He let out a small roar, but that was the most he could do. He clearly did have a dilemma.  _Practically all of the spells needed to be spoken out._ Ambrosia was lightly dozing, but she blinked awake at his call for aid. She thought and mused to herself.

"Some dragons do have the gift of speech," she said. "It's rare, but it can happen. Jericho, dear, maybe you can possess him to help him uncover it? It may be locked away."

"Or he takes a bit of your nectar," Jericho sighed. "You're right. Let me try to help him with a bit of possession. Do I have your permission, Beast Boy?"

He nodded and stared back into Jericho's eyes. When his eyes turned green, Jericho tried everything he could to get him to talk. The only way he could talk was in parrot form, but the spells wouldn't work. On separating from him, Beast Boy was clearly at a loss. He didn't want to hurt Ambrosia. On thinking about everything he was mentally telling her, she smiled.

"Beast Boy, come here," she said gently. He reverted human and did just that.

"I don't wanna hurt you," he frowned. She rested a hand on his cheek and pulled him close to kiss hard. On tasting the nectar, he had no choice and gave in. Robin monitored how much was taken and helped break them apart. "Ah...hmm...odd..."

"Try now," she smiled. He cleared his throat and hopped off the bed. As a small dragon, he sighed and tried to talk. A funny sound emitted first. Then he coughed and tried again.

"Um...eep!" he blinked. The sound was high-pitched, but it tended to be for the smaller ones.

"You'll have to get used to the different sounds," Jericho grinned.

"I guess so," Beast Boy blinked. He tried to breathe some flame and that worked. "Okay. I'm gonna have to practice. But, I have to talk, right?"

" _I wouldn't talk as a dragon. Just do it to get used to the vocals to cast the spells,_ " Elvey said on emerging. " _Certain spells have key vocal pitches to get them right. Raven and her robe can help you with that. Each spell may sound different with various dragon sizes. You could talk to make sure you got the spell to work right, but that should be the limit. We don't want anyone to know that you can talk fully like this. When you cast the spells, it might sink in, but we want that element of surprise._ "

"Gotcha!" he nodded his narrow head. "I'm used to talking as a parrot! I can actually have more control over my words. I'll keep reading. Oh! I wonder..."

He shifted into a much larger dragon that took up nearly half the room. Then he looked at the chess set with a toothy grin. Robin died laughing. Jericho was now up and asked, "Clear or tint?"

"Tint," Beast Boy said with a deepened tone. He was able to form his clawed hands to work with the pieces. "If I meet Brain, I know exactly what form I'll be!"

"No," Jericho said. "We have to keep this a secret. The more the Unseelie Court knows, the less of an advantage we'll have. You can always take a book with you, but make sure we have an extra. Some books are the only versions we have."

"I can do that," he agreed. "Should I do this with Cyborg?"

"Oh..." Robin groaned and started to laugh again.

"Let's wait until after he makes your necklace," Jericho grinned. Ambrosia was giggling, as she helped Beast Boy claim victory over the game. She yawned, ate another three bowls of ice cream, and snuggled into Robin's form. When Jericho joined them, she easily fell back to sleep.

" _Can you cast a spell?_ " Elvey asked.

"I can say the spell, but nothing happens. I lack a focus," Beast Boy rumbled and snorted a bit of smoke with irritation. "I have no extra magic to spare. I will have to wait for the necklace."

"Well, you can either sleep or read. You can talk to Raven in the morning, but I would wait until your necklace is done. We can have the spells you need inscribed in the chain, let Herald charge it, and then you can test it. After that, I'm sure that Raven would want to see what else you can do," Jericho nodded.

"Very well," Beast Boy agreed. As a dragon, his speech was rather impeccable. It was instinctive to talk like this. He did find himself yawning, shrinking small to stretch, and curling up on the edge of the bed. Another few minutes later had him sleeping deeply.

"He has the right idea," Robin yawned.

"That he does. Catch you in the morning!" Jericho sighed. Tintagel and Elvey were quick to take over, and they chuckled. " _Well, brother, looks like our work is never done. And Beast Boy mixed up all of our books. Ready to sort again?_ "

" _I know we must,_ " Elvey muttered and shook his head. " _Did he really want to meet Brain as his dragon form? I hope he waits for the tests._ "

" _I'd wake Esmiralda, but I know she's letting our daughter sleep in what peace she can. I can only hope that he won't give away his secret. His dragon side does have quite a bit of intellect. That may just save him from making any grave mistakes._ "

" _Very true. Anyways, where were we?_ "

" _Holding spells and conjuration,_ " Tintagel said.

" _Found it,_ " Elvey grunted, as he lifted the heavy book. The rest of the night was spent fixing up the books again and intense studying.


	42. Chapter 42

The pendant given to Beast Boy was stunning. It looked like a basic chain that was small enough to go around his wrist, but the spells placed on it would fix that. The pendant resembled a large, open-faced flower of exquisite design and perfection. The circular crystal was carefully placed in the center and clamped in just enough to keep it from shifting. Cyborg remembered that the crystal was on loan. Kid Flash and Mas y Menos were already attempting to try and make their first flawless moon crystal. What they were hoping to do was purposely place various leaves in certain positions for dew to form in them. The dew had to form on its own and not collected from multiple drops.

" _If their experiment works, then we can gain an unruly amount of flawless crystals of various sizes,_ " Tintagel smirked. Elvey could only agree. Beast Boy had given the pendant over to them to have them inscribe the spells. He didn't want to wear it until that was done. Raven was able to learn what Beast Boy was doing and what he was able to do now. She was very intrigued. Her robe wanted to test him, but Beast Boy wanted a little time to himself first. As much as he wanted to be around the others, sometimes he needed the space for himself.

"I need some air," Beast Boy told her. "Give me, like, an hour or two."

"I can do that," Raven nodded. "I'll track down some books for you to read when you get back."

"Thanks," he nodded. "Maybe I'll go see a movie! It's been awhile since I saw what zombie flick was playing! I'll tell ya what I saw."

"No need," Raven insisted. "Just go have some fun."

"Okay!" he grinned. He found himself going to the park instead. It was just becoming sunrise, so there was no one around. _It was perfect._  On coming here, his thoughts went to Terra, and he cringed. On pushing the memories away, he sighed hard. As much as he missed her company, he knew that he had to move on. He smiled softly at the small thoughts of reassurance that Ambrosia sent him.  _She really helped me keep from getting depressed._  It was another reason he loved her.  _She is a true friend and always there when I need it._

He refocused his thoughts on the foliage of the park. _It was going to be a nice day._  The air was sweet with blooming flowers and the smell of growing grass. He took in a deep breath and let it out with a nice, heavy sigh of mild contentment.  _I'll have to do this when I get back to the castle. I haven't seen the various gardens in full yet._

He continued to walk calmly down the cement pathway, and he paused at the sight of various tables with chess sets. Grinning, he decided to see if he could remember what each piece was called and bounded over. As he muttered out each name, he didn't notice another coming towards him. He was too engrossed in trying to remember how each piece moved. When his fingers touched the small white pieces in the first row, he thought of what they were called again.

"That's a pawn. Much like how you are," a sinister, male monotone voice said.

"Eh?" Beast Boy blinked and looked over. "Oh. It's you. Whatever. I'm busy. Go away."

"And why should I leave? I just got here," the single black pillar with the skull-like front chuckled. The brain was clearly seen through the glass, and the dome glowed green every time he spoke. The eyes in the skull-like front glowed red, as he studied his arch-nemesis. "In time, everything will fall back into place. You will fall with your friends. You will fail in all you hope to achieve."

"Save it," Beast Boy snorted. "I froze you up. Turned you into chilled brains on ice! I know who let ya go. And, if he let ya go, then you're his puppet. You can't hurt me. Others approach us all the time now. I don't fear you. I will  _never_  fear you. You're one giant ego of a brain on wheels. Go back where you came from. If you decide to refreeze yourself, enjoy the headache."

"Well, well! Such overconfidence," Brain chuckled.

"It's not overconfidence ya metal meat-bucket!" Beast Boy growled. "I can smell something on you. It's nasty! It's like you got brain rot mushed up with salt and grime!"

"What?!" Brain seethed. "You impudent child! You shall fear my wrath!"

"Ah, hold up," Beast Boy smirked. "Where's your big, banana-loving bruiser? Ya know, Mallah? Cuz, if he's not with you, then it was just you let go. Right?"

"Mallah is no longer worth my time."

"So...you're defenseless. You can't attack me. You thought I would simply cower in front of you like a giant chicken. You had to come here to gloat and show off that you're free. You're an idiot."

"I came here to find out why a simpleton like yourself was looking at a game that far outclasses you!" Brain hissed. "You have no business to look at chess!"

"Then we can make chess be the test to do when the time comes. Right?" Beast Boy grinned.

"You...play me? At chess?!" Brain gloated and laughed. Now that Brain was distracted with the thought, Beast Boy moved quickly to remove Brain's dome from the movable pillar it was attached to. The last one had a built in bomb. This one was just a sleek, black design with hovering abilities to help him move. It was far too easy to unlock the clips that held Brain securely to the pillar. It was only a temporary way to let Brain move and meet with his rival. _It was likely created by either Gizmo or Brother Blood._  He was betting on Brother Blood.

"I don't think ya need to move anymore!" Beast Boy grinned mischievously. "Oh! Did I tell you that I make mechanical stuff blow up?! Just by touching it?!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Brain shouted, as his dome flickered around with rage.

"I'm just giving you a new view. From the ground!" Beast Boy cackled. "As much as I wanna play with you, I think I'll let ya wait. I don't wanna spoil the surprise. Hmm. If I remember, you can't see anything behind you, huh? Only front view?"

"What are you going to do?!" Brain hissed. Beast Boy now set Brain down on a solid stone table. Making sure Brain couldn't see him, he shifted into the biggest dragon he could.

"The mark of Unseelie has been touched along the top of your dome," the heavy voice now came from him. Brain suddenly paused at this. "I can see it tattooed to your mind. You have been tainted. Your fate is sealed. The next time we meet shall be your end. And...to ensure that none can see what's been done in case a viewing device has been implanted in your mode of transport..."

"What...are you...?" Brain asked with a touch of uncertainty.

"You will get a clue when you see what I have done to your latest contraption," Beast Boy hissed. He rose up his massive tail and brought it down to simply crush Brain's mode of transportation flat. "I'll leave you here. You need something...nice...to look at. The scenery is pleasant at this time of day. Don't worry. I'll be thinking quite...highly...of you. I look forward to the test we intend to participate in. I. Will. Make. Sure. You. Lose."

A seething hiss was given now and hot smoke billowed around Brain's dome to shroud off Beast Boy's retreat. Brain was stuck. He didn't plan to be separated from the only thing used to get around in. Now he had to plan to have a hovering device implanted into his dome.  _And why didn't Beast Boy simply destroy me?_  As he thought, the answer came to him.  _Beast Boy was letting me suffer!_

"That...disgusting...pile of...!" Brain seethed with his own rage.

"Well, well...what do we have here?" Sinlus mused, as he appeared in front of him.

"Just help me, you idiot!" he growled.

"Now, why would I do that? Oh. Your new transport was...crushed? Interesting."

"What?!"

"Take a look," Sinlus shrugged and turned the dome to let Brain see what happened. Brain was stunned. His transport was made of galvanized steel and practically solid, save for the mechanical wires that hooked up to his dome from underneath to let him control it.  _The entire device was simply crushed flat._ When Sinlus walked over to the mess, he studied it. "No imprints. Unless it was done in such a way that nothing could be salvaged. I take it that you spoke with Beast Boy?"

"He wants to play me at chess!" Brain snorted. "He could have destroyed me!"

"But, he didn't."

"You should let me free Mallah!"

"No. He's not needed."

"He is my Lieutenant! He should be assisting me!"

"No. The Court made this decision. Even you can't back out on it. You agreed to the terms. We need to see the others. I'll have Brother Blood make you another transport. And I'll take this with me."

"I can't really move..."

"I know. Like I said. We need to see the others," Sinlus sighed irritably. He muttered a spell to levitate the mangled transportation, and he carefully picked up Brain. The Court would skin him alive, even as a corporeal ghost, if any damage came to their pawn. The place they appeared at was actually Slade's underground lair. The honorable villain was forced to turn his home into a recreational place of gathering. He hated it.

Slade was keeping himself far away from the others. His hand still pulsed with pain, but he was able to ignore it. When he thought about Robin, the pain came back with a lingering sensation. He was pissed. He was irritated. He was bored. And, he clearly didn't care for the company he was forced to be around. He showed it every single day.

"So quiet you are," Madame Rouge smirked. She wore a black collar over her throat with silver inlaid designs. Her red top was skin-tight and seemed to go past the dual black belt with silver buckles attached to her waist. The red clothing went over a set of red under shorts. Her gloves and boots were the same design having a silver lining and sleek black in design. Despite her Oriental look with short, black hair and narrowed eyes, her eye color was blue. Red lipstick neatly coated over her lips, and she strode over to Slade with a silent look of determination.

"Leave," he muttered. He refused to engross himself with them.

"You know we can't. You may as well talk with us," she shrugged.

"Never."

"We aren't all bad..."

"No one ever is. Now leave me alone."

"Who do you think you will have to fight?"

"I know who I have to fight. You know who I have to fight. This conversation is pointless. Go. Away. Bother someone else," Slade muttered lightly. She seemed to stiffen a bit, but she chuckled.

"Think you'll lose?"

Now he glanced at her with his single eye slanted with irritation. Looking back to his monitor screens, she was now fully ignored. As much as he wanted to slap her, he forced himself to completely ignore her presence. The Court wouldn't allow them to attack each other, anyways. His hand was throbbing from the painful raw Fae energy. He had to push all thoughts of Robin out of his head. The sooner he did that, the sooner he would find relief.

"Fix this," Sinlus said to Brother Blood and dropped the flattened metal pillar. "And help him."

"What...happened...?!" Brother Blood gaped. Heavy black eyebrows were raised up with surprise. His hair was thick, gray, and swept back along the sides and top like a scientist. He already looked like he didn't get much sleep from all the work he was doing. A skin-tight black suit went from his neck and encompassed his complete figure. On top of the suit was a red mantled cloak that covered over his shoulders to give the illusion of more bulk. A silver metallic collar with the same metallic lining made up the rest of the mantle. A loose, red shirt covered over his chest, but was bound in with three silver metallic bands. Silver metallic gauntlets went from his hands to his elbows, and the rest of the cloth came down over his groin in a slight sash to complete his apparel.

As much as Sinlus would have let him keep the prison clothes, the Unseelie Court let him look presentable. He was the only other one that Slade didn't mind to work with. They both kept to themselves, appreciated fine technology, and understood how the other worked. They liked to work alone. The only main difference was that Slade didn't really want minions. Brother Blood liked to teach his works to others by taking them over. The Court refused to allow this to happen. They liked to control the pawns. As much as Brother Blood tried to convince them of the advances that could happen, the Court would hear none of it. They did promise to assist him in a new school for a H.I.V.E, but only if he won his challenging test. He wanted Cyborg as his opponent. They would make sure to grant that.

"I need a new mode of transport. One that won't get crushed," Brain muttered.

"I can see that! What happened?!" Brother Blood scowled. "I used the best resources I could find! It was solid steel! What could have done this?!"

"Beast Boy has a new form. I couldn't see it. He challenged me at a chess game. I...was too busy laughing to see his next move," Brain grumbled. Brother Blood looked at him suspiciously. Sinlus smirked and vanished away to let them squabble. The flattened metal sheet was now taken over to Slade.

"I could use your assistance. Brain's transport...eh...you'd better take a look for yourself," Brother Blood said. Slade glanced over, still ignoring Madame Rouge, and now studied the metal intensely.

"Definitely crushed," Slade muttered. "Interesting...what's this?"

"What?" Brother Blood asked. Slade pointed out at a faint imprint of a scale.  _It was too defined to be a normal reptile._ "That's not of any animal I know of."

"Beast Boy may have more forms than we know," Slade sighed. "It's concaved. Wedged at the top. Looks like a slight razor effect along the edges."

"Dude!" Control Freak scrambled over from what he overheard. "That's a dragon scale! So cool! I mean, well..."

"A...dragon scale...?" Slade now glanced at him.

"Dragons are beasts of legend! Beast Boy can turn into beasts, right? Well, what if he could turn into dragons now?!" Control Freak beamed. "That's totally awesome!"

"You forget," Brother Blood growled. "he's on the wrong side."

"Oh," the fat goon frowned.

"Why did you get freed to help us again?" Brain muttered.

"But..." Slade thought. "if he can change into that...wait...that's right..."

"What?" Madame Rouge asked. He ignored her.

"What's on your mind?" Brother Blood asked. He smirked at the woman, and she scowled.

"I was told of a curse on a particular Fae," Slade said. "That only a 'creature of old' could free her. When I...confronted Robin, he told me this. Beast Boy freed her. That's how all of this started."

"And she will be mine again!" Sinlus snapped from behind him. Slade now stood up and turned to look at the ancient Fae. "She was supposed to be my bride!"

"For what purpose?" Slade mused.

"None of you have seen her true beauty," Sinlus muttered. "She is also the part of an ancient curse. And a prophecy. I tried to gain her to my side through courtship. She spurned me. Too much of her parents in her. All three of them..."

"What?" Brain asked. Sinlus now brought up an image of Ambrosia. Slade paused with shock at the singular form of perfect beauty that met his gaze. On thinking to himself, he lowered his masked face. A part of him wanted to meet her for himself. The other part knew that he would be confronting Robin. He clenched his left hand from the pain that lingered, but it was easy to hide. He had to shift his thoughts, or the pain would get stronger. He focused his attention to the others.

"Is there any way for us to...approach her?" Madame Rouge asked.

"No. She is protected by an oath that the Unseelie Court made to her. If she is approached, she could easily die. As much as I would prefer it...I can't allow it," Sinlus said. He let the image vanish away. Blackfire was watching everything from where she was sitting along a high banister. Even Cheshire was perched in a similar area. They both knew what Ambrosia looked like. They both looked at each other and back to Sinlus. Two other figures were in the background, and they trudged forward. Trident and Katarou both saw each other as superior figures. But, from the marks on their left hands, they knew that they had to bide their time. It didn't mean that they couldn't try to push their ideas.

"We should do a frontal attack!" Trident scowled. He was an Atlantean, but built more like a fish. He didn't need clothes from the green scales that covered over his body to resemble segmented joints. His face, torso and hands were white. His face also held odd stripes along the edges and under his eyes. Three more stripes on his forehead formed eyebrows and a ridge to the back of his skull. He did carry a trident weapon with him that he wasn't afraid to use.

"They have allies that could serve you up with a side of lemon wedges and parsley," Sinlus snorted. Katarou started laughing. He was a broad, bald man in kimono that had a stiff, villainous collar that jutted up from the shoulders. The outer part of the kimono was black, the inner part was blood red, and a red sash held it together. Red pants came out from where the kimono ended just above the knees. He didn't need gloves, but small, red slippers bound his feet.

"If you were in the water, I'd crush you! I, a singular, perfect figure! I am the embodiment of the true Atlantean!" Trident started again. Sinlus muttered a spell to mute the fish man's voice. Trident's white eyes were wide with disbelief. Katarou started laughing harder and found the same thing happening to him. Now he was pissed.

"The two of you are idiots," Sinlus growled. "Go back to training. The spells will wear off after an hour. I still have to figure out who else to recruit. I have just one more spot left."

"Gizmo, don't touch that!" Brother Blood scowled and slapped away the child.

"I know what I'm doing, crud-muncher!" Gizmo growled. Then he shivered at the glare that met him. As a former student, he knew all too well how nasty this one could get.

"If you waste anything, you know exactly how I can get! You can help me build as an assistant. Don't do anything rash or stupid," Brother Blood warned. The kid only nodded and went back to trying to make Brain another transport.

"I will not have that child work on me," Brain said.

"Don't worry. I'll personally make you a backup transport in your dome," Brother Blood said. As they kept working, Sinlus went over who was there. He needed one more to complete the eleven he needed.  _Where could I find that last one?_   _Mad Mod was a viable candidate, but that was until he showed how poorly he was against the allied Fae. Mumbo the Magician was still in a comatose state from the moon crystal explosion._ _Who else was there that could work?_  As much as he wanted to ask Brother Blood on a suggestion, he didn't want the man to think that he was gaining a new advantage with a former student.  _That would simply piss off the Court._

While he continued to mull over his options, Slade was suddenly up and out of the room. His cameras caught something. Sinlus walked over to what caught his attention and blinked.  _A man in white? A light bulb on his chest? Glowing hands?_  He was now thinking. He didn't see this villain yet.  _Was he any good?_ The Unseelie Court was now very interested and forced Slade to stop in his tracks. A sharp stab of pain from his hand to his feet helped with that.

"What...?" Slade blinked. Sinlus now walked in front of him.

"The Court is...interested. Go back to where you were," he said.

"That one is an idiot. He will make you lose a test," Slade muttered.

"Well, if the Court wants him, you know we can't refuse," Sinlus muttered back. "Much like you, there is only so much that I can choose, much less argue back on."

"So...you are also a pawn..." Slade thought aloud.

"Shut up. Go back to your room," Sinlus sneered. Slade struck a nerve. Sinlus clearly hated it. Slade showed no other emotions. He simply knew that he won this small battle for now. Sinlus glowered slightly at the ground, cleared his throat, and continued his march to head outside of Slade's base. The man in the white suit was trying to get past the defenses with flashes of light from his hands. He was trying to confuse them. At the realization that he wasn't alone, the man looked at him.

"I want to join you! I am Doctor Light!" he said.

"Really? Why do you wish to join? How did you learn about us?" Sinlus asked.

"The fat kid in the gray suit put something online about a secret club for villains..."

"Did he...really...?" Sinlus narrowed his eyes and lost himself in thought.  _Control Freak would be put in his place. The blog would need to be taken down. Quickly._ The last thing he wanted was for others to come here of their own accord like this one did. _It would send out a false signal._  Sinlus liked to test various things for himself. _But, since this one did manage to find them, it showed slight potential. However, Slade did say that this one would be a waste of a test._ Something was telling him to trust in that judgment.

"Just give me a chance!" Doctor Light begged.

"I don't know. I do have only one spot left open..." Sinlus thought. Then he glanced up at the two vile sprites that appeared. The villain just gaped at the sheer, intense feeling of solid evil. The Court was amused and decided to drop in.

_"He looks so weakly!"_

_"His figure is sickly."_

_"A chance he does want?"_

_"Just look at his gaunt!"_

_"But, he found this gathering..."_

_"A feat! So astounding!"_

_"He claims he has power."_

_"We can only wonder!"_

_"We shall answer his cries."_

_"He'd better not lie!"_

"You want me to shake his hand?" Sinlus asked carefully. At the sprites giggling, he glared at Doctor Light. "This gathering is mainly to get back at the Titans. Is it what you want?"

"The Titans? A chance to hurt them all? Yes! I've been trying to do that for so long! To get my chance at vengeance...! I'll take it!" Doctor Light nodded with a wicked grin. Sinlus held out his hand and gestured for the glove to be removed. Then the handshake was done. The villain squealed at the pain he felt and glared at his hand. The mark was there.

"Go inside. Introduce yourself. No, I will not protect you. Survive against the others. If they get the better of you...well...don't say that I didn't warn you," Sinlus shrugged. The Court howled with laughter. They expected him to get killed off for a different villain to be found. Doctor Light was a bit more resourceful than they knew. When the sprites vanished, Sinlus was also gone.

"Time to show off my stuff!" Doctor Light huffed. At the thought that he should have mentioned Robin's odd behavior when they last fought, he got a crushing headache. The Unseelie Court could not let Sinlus know of the laughter. It would give away the surprise, and they agreed not to let anything happen until the time was right. The villain quickly forgot the notion. It would be done every time he remembered to say something.

Now he strode into the place with a purpose. Slade watched everything from his cameras. He wasn't going to give that one the time of day.  _It would be like talking to a wall._  He'll be ignoring him as though he wasn't even there. Brother Blood and Brain would likely do the same thing. The others would give him the same annoying stares, jibes, and sneers that they give to each other. Slade would only find one true use for the weak villain. _It may keep my mind off of Robin by watching him try and fail to get noticed._ That was something that would be most beneficial.


	43. Chapter 43

Jericho had watched the whole thing through the moon crystal attached to Slade's mask. It was never discovered. On witnessing Doctor Light get taken into the fold, he died laughing.

"What's so funny?" Robin asked. Ambrosia was looking at him curiously now.

"Doctor Light...is part...of the testing...!" Jericho snickered.

"What...?!" Robin's jaw dropped. Then laughter overcame him.

"Um..." Ambrosia frowned. Robin sent her the memories he had of the villain. She just blinked at how such a weak villain was able to become part of the tests. As she thought about it, she frowned. "Yes, he may give us an advantage. However, he is now marked. I pity him, really. The Unseelie Court wishes to see him suffer. That is my guess. Even he does not deserve that fate."

"Oh..." Jericho blinked at her reasoning. "They'll make him suffer, if he fails."

"Horribly," she nodded softly. "There is not much that any of us can do. As much as I do not wish for that to happen, we cannot allow Sinlus to be freed. How could someone like him have found out about the Unseelie? It makes no sense to me!"

"From what the moon crystal in Slade's mask showed me," Jericho recalled. "Control Freak posted a blog online about it."

"He did?!" Robin gaped. He grabbed his communicator. "Cyborg!"

"Yo!" Cyborg replied.

"Quick! Go online! Pull up anything about any recent posts about Control Freak! Copy them down! Now!" Robin ordered. Cyborg nodded and closed the connection. "If we act fast, we might be able to get the message that Control Freak put up. I'm sure he'll be told to remove it if it's found."

"Yeah. Sinlus just now told Control Freak to remove it," Jericho muttered. "He's doing that right now. In the next five minutes, it will be gone."

"Robin!" Cyborg said after the communicator was activated. "Control Freak put up that he was part of some super-secret villain organization. Like he was bragging about it. I copied it. If I try to pull up where I found it...oh. It's gone. Is that why you had me grab it?"

"Yep! Send me what you have," Robin said. As he went over the small paragraph of text, Beast Boy bounded into the room with a beaming grin. Ambrosia smiled and gestured for him to get cuddled.

"You destroyed Brain's transport, right?" Jericho asked. "As a dragon?"

"I did. Why? It was fun!" Beast Boy grinned.

"You left a scale impression. Control Freak identified your form," Jericho sighed.

"Wha?!" he gaped.

"It's fine," Ambrosia said gently. "It just means that they know I simply cannot be approached."

"They also know that," Jericho smiled. "But, Sinlus did show them an image of you."

"He..." she gasped.

_:My Queen, you know they cannot even touch you!:_  Robin growled mentally.

_:It's...just the thought...I mean...I know that a few do know of what I look like...:_  she cringed.

_:I vow to kill ANY that try to approach you!:_  he said with a narrowed glance at her. She swallowed, but nodded, too. Beast Boy sensed her distress and snuggled into her more. At the knock on the door, Starfire was there with Silkie in her arms.

"Silkie was lonely," she frowned. "No one is around to play with him anymore."

"Awww..." Beast Boy sighed. "Yeah, we've all been pretty busy lately, huh?"

"I wouldn't doubt that," Robin smiled. He walked over to Starfire to lead her over to Ambrosia with Silkie. Elvey had seen Silkie before, but now he was filled on the history of their mascot. "Beast Boy, can you become something like Silkie? Is it possible?"

"Nah. Silkie was a creation. He's not a real insect. Trust me! If I could, I would," he nodded with a fanged grin. Silkie whined and was set down near Ambrosia to snuggle against her. She rested a gentle hand against the caterpillar's body. At a small kick from Aelfric, Silkie nudged back.

"I need to eat," she frowned. Jericho was quick to help her sit up, and Robin got her a bowl of the much needed ice cream. When Silkie caught the scent of the sweet treat, he whimpered. A small spoonful was given over. The caterpillar ate it, including the spoon, and fell into a deep sleep of contentment. She made no move to have Silkie get placed elsewhere.

"Hmm," Jericho frowned. "That's interesting."

"What is?" Robin asked. Ambrosia was getting sleepy, but she looked over now. Starfire was just as curious. Beast Boy had become a lap dragon to snuggle against Ambrosia's other side. He swiveled his head over and snorted his concern.

"Slade has it in his mind to try and see Ambrosia for himself," Jericho muttered.

"No," Robin said flatly. "I'll kill him. Hang the Unseelie Court!"

"How did he react to my image?" Ambrosia asked.

"He seemed...perplexed. There's only so much that I can tell, but he's looking up an aerial footage of Titan's Grove. That's how I know what he's planning," Jericho said. "I can see his thoughts rather plainly from his reflection in the screen he's looking at. Just by watching his eye alone is enough."

"Does Slade plan to hurt you?" Starfire asked her.

"If Slade is truly like my Father," Ambrosia thought. "I think it is all curiosity. I mean, Robin did tell him of me, from what we know. And he is honorable, to an extent..."

"What are you thinking of?" Jericho frowned. "Darling, you know that the scent of Unseelie can hurt you. We can't let that happen."

"I know. Help me move, please," she winced. Robin and Starfire both helped her sit up. Her belly was rather large now. It was nearing the three month mark. Jericho moved to her side to lift her to her feet. She sighed and leaned into him. Starfire brought over a soft, green maternity dress for her to wear. If she was going somewhere, she needed to be dressed.

"You can't really move that much," Robin frowned. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to go to the grove," she said. She was carefully changed into the gown.

"Why?" Robin asked carefully.

"Trust me," she smiled warmly. Elvey nudged Robin to remember something.  _Yes, Ambrosia and her pregnancy would be seen. But, so would I. What this meant was that Slade's hand would be on fire with pain._ Robin glanced at Jericho. They both grinned wickedly at each other.

"Okay," Robin nodded. "We'll have a picnic! It's daylight, right?"

"Yes. We can appear outside the hill," Jericho nodded.

"Perfect," Ambrosia chuckled.

"Can we come?!" Beast Boy grinned in his human form. Starfire was beaming with a sleeping Silkie in her arms. Ambrosia nodded with a warm chuckle.

"I'll let Raven and Cyborg know," Robin said.

"That's right. I think Raven has books for me," Beast Boy mused.

"Read them later. Keep the dragon form away for now," Jericho advised.

"Kay!" he agreed.

"What is this picnic?" Starfire asked.

"Think of eating outside on the ground with a blanket underneath us," Robin smiled. "Just something to help us relax. I'll make sure Cyborg brings some ice cream."

"If he brings any meat, I'll clobber him!" Beast Boy growled.

"No," Ambrosia said. "You will let him eat what he wants. I can't deal with too much stress right now. You can fight with him later about it. Not right now."

"Oh..." he blinked. "Okay."

"Hey, Cyborg! Pack for a picnic! We'll be outside Titan's Grove. Ambrosia wants to relax, and this could help. You in?" Robin asked in his communicator.

"Sounds like fun! I can use the break! I'll tell Raven, too," Cyborg chuckled.

"Ready?" Jericho asked the others. They all nodded and soon found themselves in the grove. They picked out a small spot where the stream met the base of the hill. Beast Boy ensured the area was clear with a quick scouting in a bird form, and he reverted human to show all was well.

"Hey, guys!" Cyborg grinned when he showed up a few minutes later. He had a large wicker basket with him filled with various edible foodstuffs. A small, portable freezer was set down that held Ambrosia's ice cream. Raven had appeared next with a stack of books.

" _Just set them off to the side,_ " Elvey muttered to her when he came out.

"And...why the picnic?" Raven frowned.

" _We're putting on a show for Slade. Ambrosia wants to,_ " he sighed.

"That's...risky..." she grimaced

" _I know. But, Robe knows what I did to his hand,_ " Elvey grinned. " _Think about it._ "

"Hmm..." she thought. Her robe let her know with a rather humorous sensation. "Ah. Got it."

"We'll see what happens," Robin nodded. "Is there a blanket?"

"I have one," Raven chuckled. She spread out the deep red cloth over the ground by the small stream. Cyborg was quick to start setting out plates for those that wanted to eat. Ambrosia was carefully set down to rest against Jericho. He helped her get comfortable before looking up and over in a direction. When he smirked, he looked away and tended to his wife.

" _Saw him?_ " Elvey muttered. A sandwich was quickly claimed.

" _Yes,_ " Tintagel muttered back when he emerged from Jericho.

" _Surprised?_ " he smirked.

" _Shocked,_ " Tintagel corrected. " _Mainly that I knew he was watching._ "

" _At least it's daylight,_ " Elvey mused. " _They can't come here._ "

" _At least_ he  _can't,_ " Tintagel agreed. He decided to try another sandwich. Ambrosia stuck to the ice cream. Beast Boy was pouting that there were no tofu burgers.

"You think I'd bring that garbage?!" Cyborg snorted. "Eat the meat!"

"Stop," Robin warned. "Not now."

"What?!" Cyborg asked. At Ambrosia's wince, he paused at the reason. "Oh..."

"She can't conjure anything right now," Jericho said. "It's too much for her."

"I'll get the burgers," Raven sighed. "How many?"

"Ten!" Beast Boy grinned.

"I'll bring five," she muttered. He pouted, but he nodded to keep things calm. As they continued to enjoy a leisurely early afternoon, Slade was watching everything with disbelief. Turning off his monitors, he now moved to think alone. He saw Robin, and his hand had burned briefly. It was what Jericho did that had him able to push the thought of Robin away.

"I was challenged...I think..." he pondered.  _Jericho was able to glare right at me. He knew exactly who I was._ "I should not disappoint them with a visit..."

He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the two nasty sprites. They both appeared curious and perplexed. They always had to appear in sets of two to rhyme properly. If they spoke through a vessel, then it was one thing. This was the best way to do it in spirit form.

_"Oh, Slade the sneaky!"_

_"You leave so meekly?"_

_"Without saying good-bye?"_

_"You horrible spy!"_

"I was challenged to appear. I must answer that call," he said lightly.

_"Oh! I see!"_

_"A challenge for thee!"_

_"I get it! Okay!"_

_"But, others will bray..."_

_"We will let you go on one request!"_

_"Please respect it at our behest?"_  the sprites said with a giggle.

"As long as it does not involve me fighting. Oh. Will...Sinlus...know of this?"

_"Not he! Not he!"_

_"Not Sinlus of Zee!"_

_"We struck a truce..."_

_"In the office of Bruce..."_

_"The cursed Fae with golden locks..."_

_"Our scent makes her ill! We agreed to be blocked!"_

_"Her crown is ancient and so deadly..."_

_"Should she die, we end so abruptly!"_

_"There are others that we fear..."_

_"Not just crowns! Elder Fae reappeared!"_

"Elder Fae?" Slade asked curiously.

_"In order for you to understand..."_

_"We can give visions to your hand..."_

_"If you accept..."_

_"We don't know what to expect!"_

"If you give me information, I will accept it. However, I still need to answer the challenge," he said. "I cannot back down from it."

_"We know! Don't worry!"_

_"In such an odd hurry!"_

_"Just remember your test!"_

_"We'll quiet this nest."_

_"Sinlus knows naught."_

_"So much to be taught!"_

_"As for the vision..."_

_"Have you made a decision?"_

"I said I would accept the visions," he muttered. The sprites giggled and moved to encircle his hand. He closed his single eye to focus. He did not expect the flash of intense pain to jolt at his core. The Unseelie Court had to give him pain. It was a mild punishment for trying to leave without telling them. The pain was also an offshoot from the raw Fae energy that lingered in the mark. That energy also flared out to lash back in retaliation at the Court. Fae energy was neutrally bound to be either good or bad. It didn't like to be tampered with.

Now that the Court was aware that something happened to their mark, they were suspicious. As Slade gained the knowledge he needed, they peered into his mind in the background. On catching what happened, they were actually amused. Very amused.  _If Slade died in the testing, his soul would become theirs._   _Regardless on if they forced him to agree or not._  Keeping this juicy tidbit to themselves, they waited for Slade to come around from the visions that were forced into his mind.

Now he knew who Elvey was. How he lived. How dangerous he was. He saw Tintagel and Esmiralda, too. The only problem was that this was very much like a mind link. His health was in danger of slipping. He had no idea what to do now. The Unseelie Court knew what needed to be done.

_"Now you can go and see the Fae!"_  the first sprite hissed.

_"But, as per our oath, we cannot play,"_  the second sighed.

_"We can send you there..."_

_"But to stay? We don't dare!"_

"You said...you had a...request...?" Slade gasped. This pain was something he wasn't used to. He was trying to fight it the only way he knew how. Enduring it was starting to tax him.

_"Yes, we did!"_

_"We do not kid!"_

_"It is true that Sinlus of Zee..."_

_"He cannot know what goes on, you see?"_

_"So, keep your mouth shut!"_

_"Say nothing! Tut-tut!"_

"I wasn't...planning on saying anything..." he heaved.

_"Since we know you speak the truth..."_

_"To the Fae you shall go! Maybe she can help soothe?"_

"What?" Slade asked. He was still in pain. The Court was able to simply transport their pawn directly to the grove. They just didn't know how they were to get him back, but they knew he would be resourceful. It surprised Ambrosia to find the ailing man before them, but Jericho was not happy.

"Jericho?" Robin asked. Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy just sat there with their jaws mildly dropped. They weren't expecting Slade like this.

"I'll handle it," Jericho muttered. Ambrosia looked over worried, and Robin kept a hand on her shoulder. Elvey was quick to take over his actions. _Robin was ready to fly into an uncontrolled rage. Ambrosia couldn't have the stress right now. We have to keep things calm._ Jericho gave a mild glance at the others to stay calm. Mild nods were given back, and he knelt down to Slade's form.

The man was gasping hard, on his knees, and fighting back the intense pain. Jericho seemed to glare into his single eye, but the slight wince of respect was seen. It would have been missed by any others. At a mental nudge to Robin, Elvey growled. " _He knows. Doesn't he?_ "

" _The Court told him much, but they are still honoring their vow,_ " Tintagel muttered when he emerged. " _Ambrosia is pregnant. Very pregnant. By you being here, it only shows that you are incredibly stupid, or in serious need of help._ "

"The Unseelie...gave me...visions..." Slade gasped.

" _Damn them!_ " Elvey seethed. " _And, because of this, he's in pain! They knew that she could heal. That she could help him._ "

" _She will do just enough,_ " Tintagel smirked. " _Not a full healing. She is pregnant. Dearest? Please take a look at him? Just enough to remove the pain._ "

"Of course, dear," Ambrosia nodded. Robin helped her stand, and Beast Boy glared at the gasping figure. "Calm yourself, Beast Boy. He is in pain. I will help him just enough."

"You shouldn't help him at all," Cyborg snorted.

"We are not unguarded," Ambrosia giggled softly. At the soft rumbling of the ground beneath them, they all snickered. Slade was just confused. He also couldn't focus. If he saw Robin now, the pain would likely kill him. She knelt down before him and gestured for him to look at her. At the gasp he gave, he couldn't think.  _A vision held nothing._  To see her in the flesh was something else completely. Her deep, dark blue eyes were dazzling amidst the silver and gold locks of hair. Her face was a singular, complete form of perfection.  _Flawless perfection._ It was right in front of him. He didn't even think that such a thing could have ever existed. She carefully reached out and lightly traced over where his cheek was under the mask. He had no visible skin, but that was fine. Her healing would simply seep down into his core of its own accord.

" _Watch him,_ " Elvey tensed.

" _You think I'm not?_ " Tintagel smirked. " _The damage is done, though._ "

" _What do you mean?_ " he asked.

" _Slade is human. He's now enthralled._ "

" _No..._ "

" _You be the judge,_ " he shrugged. Slade's single eye was completely fixated on Ambrosia's face. He didn't even move when she placed a hand on his shoulder to help him filter out various pains. It was just enough for him to think again. For him to react normally. When she pulled away and averted her gaze, he was still incredibly stunned. Sinlus tried to enthrall with his words. Words were easily ignored. Easy to manipulate and shove aside. It was true perfection that now took hold. It was right in front of Slade.  _There was no lie. There was nothing to shove aside._  Everything was right there in front of him.

"I have healed you just enough. You will still have certain pains, but that I have no control over. You may also need to eat well when you have the time. As it is, you must go now. The scent of the Unseelie Court may affect me, if you don't," she frowned.

"Thank you," Slade said gently. "I think...I would like to help you. When all of this is over."

"That may be possible, but you must remember. You will need to test against Robin. After that happens, we shall see," she nodded. "But...if Sinlus wins the tests..."

"What will happen?" he asked.

"He will see to my destruction," she whispered. "He will seek to torment me for the rest of my life. My family was fully slaughtered by him in a single night. From adults, to children, and even animals. I'm sure you were informed. He even had King Elvey kill himself out of trickery and spite. As Robin is your mortal enemy, Sinlus is mine."

"Hmm..." Slade thought. "He doesn't like the thought of being used as a pawn. That much is true. And, with that idiotic Doctor Light now in with the tests, you all may have a chance to simply win. I did not agree to being a pawn. It was forced. It was...hinted...that I may have a chance to escape."

" _Only if Sinlus doesn't get what he wants,_ " Elvey nodded. " _If he does, you're trapped._ "

"Interesting..." Slade mused and stood up tall. Ambrosia neatly covered over his thoughts of Robin. This was now going to be his fail-safe to keep his hand from burning with pain. As he gazed down at Ambrosia from where she sat, he said, "I want to be free. So do you. We have a common goal. I have an idea. I'll say nothing and do what I must to avoid suspicion. I would...much rather have us be neutral allies. There is a way for you to...see what happens? I'm sure there is..."

" _There is,_ " Tintagel nodded. " _Just do what you must._ "

"I shall. And...thank you for the healing. It is...appreciated," Slade nodded respectfully.

"You are quite welcome," Ambrosia nodded back. "Just remember. You may need to eat well."

"I shall," he nodded again.

" _I would suggest one thing,_ " Elvey said with a small grin.

"And that is?" Slade asked. His hand pulsed, but not by much. Ambrosia's presence seemed to be helping to neutralize that.

" _As much as you hate to talk to the others, and I don't blame you,_ " Elvey snorted. " _start trying to get their appreciation. Cater to their whims. If slightly. Just by you showing interest in them may give them a sense of...false pride. Arrogance. They see you as a dangerous ally of sorts. That, if you speak to them, they feel important to your cause. So...if you get what I mean..._ "

"I see..." Slade seemed to know what was going on. "A false sense of judgment..."

" _May help them slip..._ " Elvey grinned a bit wider.

"A touch of praise from someone that still sees them lower than dirt," he continued.

" _Maybe...pick a favorite..._ " Tintagel hinted.

"I have one. But...I think I can pull on the strings of another," Slade mused.

"I have a suggestion," Cyborg said. "if you're up to it."

"I'll hear it," Slade nodded.

"Get them to, oh, start to fight each other. Pick sides. Think they're higher up than the other. Ya know?" Cyborg grinned. "Get ego to fight ego."

"Squabble on a higher level," Raven smirked.

"I am not sure who my sister would fight," Starfire frowned.

"I'll figure something out," Slade nodded. "Good ideas, though."

"Insult Brain's intelligence! Massively!" Beast Boy grinned. "He hates that!"

"Really? That should be simple enough..." Slade mused. "Oh...how did you crush that transport? Think of it as something...that I can use to an advantage."

"As long as it is not used against us," Ambrosia said.

"No. It will not," Slade nodded respectfully. Beast Boy snorted and shifted into the massive dragon form. Slade stood there in complete shock. He tensed at the sight of billowing smoke with a touch of flames. Then, while the smoke was still in front of Slade, Beast Boy had his massive head push through it to add effect. It clearly worked.

"You have vowed to not use this knowledge against Ambrosia. If you lie, you will answer to me," Beast Boy said in his deep, elegant tone. "The bigger I am, the more powerful I am. And, as a dragon, sleep is something I don't truly need."

"I understand..." Slade said lightly.

"And, as you have no way to send yourself back to your lair, I can help you," Beast Boy said. "Should I do this? Or do one of you wish to assist?"

" _Go ahead,_ " Jericho grinned. " _Simple transport is nothing._ "

"Very well," Beast Boy snorted. Then he thought and plucked off a scale to flick at Slade. "Toss that at Brain for me. Tell him that...Beast Boy sends his regards."

The scale was caught, and Slade nodded. Beast Boy now chanted softly, and Slade found himself back in his lair. Beast Boy simply used the scale to find the imprint it was made on from the smashed steel transport. That was how he knew where to send Slade.

"Slade?!" Brain asked at the sudden appearance. The man thought, looked down at the scale in his hand, and sighed. Walking over to Brain, he set the scale down next to where he was placed on the table. He was able to mildly glance over at what it was.

"Beast Boy...sends his regards..." Slade said in his monotone way. He ignored the outburst of rage that happened next when he went to the dining area. He found himself eating a bit more than normal, but he was heeding Ambrosia's words.  _This must be part of the healing._  After he ate, he walked back over to his viewing room. It was time to study his unwanted guests and see who can pick a fight with who. _And who to start playing favorites with._


	44. Chapter 44

Right after Slade left, the Titans finished their picnic and decided to head into the Tower. Ambrosia was resting against Jericho, as he watched Cyborg and Beast Boy start playing a game. Robin ordered another pizza, much to the delight of the others, and he moved to sit by Ambrosia afterwards to rest a hand on her belly. It almost seemed that she was swelling in size every hour now. It was very hard for her to move on her own.

"I'm so hungry," Ambrosia shivered. Robin was quickly handed a carton of ice cream by Raven. Now that she was focused on eating everything in front of her, he checked his communicator. Noting that there were no messages, he sighed and relaxed a bit more. She was still hungry after the last spoonful was devoured. Starfire was able to bring over another carton.

"You eat as much as Silkie!" Starfire beamed.

"One spoonful of this made him sleep, too," Ambrosia chuckled. "Oh!"

"Aelfric, behave," Jericho growled at her belly. "If you kick her too hard, you'll hurt her."

A small imprint of a foot seemed to appear and quickly vanished when Robin poked it. The same thing happened again in the form of a game. Raven listened to her robes thoughts and said, "He's pretty smart. He found a way to keep himself amused. And train you both, too."

"That's not funny!" Robin scowled. Raven grinned at him. Starfire giggled a bit and frowned at the heightened vocal fighting over the game.

"You cheated!" Beast Boy said.

"I can't cheat! There's no cheat codes here, and it just shows that I'm a better player than you," Cyborg smirked. "Suck it up."

"I'll make you eat tofu!" he snapped.

"You got away with it once! Never again!"

"Wanna bet?"

"No."

"Awww! C'mon!" Beast Boy pouted.

"It won't happen, unless you can disguise it," Robin said. "Ambrosia is too weak to conjure much right now. Aelfric is draining her significantly."

"Oh," Beast Boy frowned.

"It's why we had her bring up as much as we could," Jericho said. "Darling? Are you feeling all right? Is something wrong?"

"I'm just tired," she sighed. She let Robin take the empty ice cream containers from her.

"Robin," Starfire said. "you do not need Ambrosia's nectar?"

"Now that you mention it, I sort of don't," he blinked. "Huh!"

" _I think I know why. Your body 'knows' that Ambrosia is weak. She can't fully sustain what you need right now. You are instinctively surviving off of what you already have. Now, if you use magic, you will need it again. I wouldn't,_ " Tintagel said when he emerged.

" _And my pendant is assisting,_ " Elvey mused softly. " _Now, if Robin has a fit, he may need some nectar to help boost any mental growth. That will be needed._ "

"He has extra vials?" Cyborg asked as he played.

" _A couple,_ " Elvey nodded.

"I am a bit worried, though," Raven sighed.

" _About what?_ " Tintagel asked.

"Slade," she muttered.

" _He's harmless now,_ " he smirked. " _Ambrosia enthralled him._ "

"Wha?!" Beast Boy gaped. None of them caught it.

" _Yes,_ " Elvey nodded. " _He was...enthralled by her perfection. Her beauty. He won't harm us._ "

"That's why he agreed to setting up internal fighting in the ranks," Cyborg mused. "It's also why he was so cooperative, huh?"

" _Yes,_ " Elvey nodded again. " _He will want to see Ambrosia again, but it likely won't happen until the tests. He'll be far more neutral than normal. Hmm? What's this?_ "

" _What?_ " Jericho frowned. Robin pulled out his communicator and paused. At the message on it, he narrowed his eyes. Then he started to grin when Elvey took full control.

" _Slade managed to do a mild hacking into the communicator signal to keep in contact with us,_ " Elvey chuckled wickedly. " _It's just enough to keep below the radar, and it's just to Robin's signal, too. I'll need to find out how he got ahold of it at some point. He wanted to tell us what he's accomplished so far. Hmm. He got Gizmo's ego so worked up that now Brother Blood is finding every experiment he does in ruins from tampering. Gizmo thinks he can 'improve' on them. He fails. Miserably._ "

"At least the little snot is good for something!" Cyborg snorted.

" _Starfire, he got Blackfire to believe that Madame Rouge is trying to upscale her,_ " Robin grinned. " _That Madame Rouge slandered Blackfire behind her back. Something about being a false princess._ "

"Ouch," Jericho grinned. Starfire could only sigh with a form of sad pity for her sister.

" _He's just ignoring Doctor Light, but he did place a small bet with Control Freak to see if he couldn't do anything about changing the light bulb color he gave off,_ " Robin snickered now. " _He also dared Control Freak to 'play nice' to him._ "

"So...he's having someone else pay attention to Doctor Light to make him feel important," Raven thought, as she caught on. "Clever."

" _True to his word, he's doing what damage he must,_ " Elvey giggled. " _Oh! Beast Boy. You'll love this. He would go up to Brain, ask him a question, and then he'd simply walk away. He would mutter that he figured it out and didn't need the help. He'd also comment on slow thought process._ "

"Okay, that's funny!" Beast Boy grinned wickedly.

" _Katarou and Trident are easy to square up against each other,_ " Elvey muttered. " _As for Cheshire, he simply figured out that, if he compliments her with small chuckles, slight praises of speed, and uncanny grace...hah! She does what he asks her to do. Including to spy on the others._ "

"So, he chose Cheshire as his new favorite," Raven thought aloud.

" _Oh,_ " Elvey grinned, as he read the report a bit more. " _He doesn't care for Madame Rouge at all. So, he purposely fawns a bit on Cheshire in front of Madame Rouge with small praises and always talks to her. And he doesn't pay attention to Madame Rouge. It ticks her off. Massively. And he still ignores her. He says it's the most fun he's ever had._ "

"We need videos!" Beast Boy squealed.

" _No,_ " Tintagel said. " _It's risky enough for him to contact us like this. What he's doing is plenty. I can still see what he does, but this helps the rest of you._ "

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Cyborg had Beast Boy pause the game to get the pizza. When it was brought in, the very smell of it made Ambrosia turn a bright shade of green.

"No!" Jericho hissed, gathered her up and made a beeline for the nearest toilet.

"Point taken. No human food around Ambrosia right now," Raven blinked. Robin was now rushing over to her only to hear the harsh retching she did.

"Do we have any ice cream?!" Robin asked frantically to Cyborg.

"I think so. I'll check," he nodded and walked off quickly.

"I'm sorry..." Ambrosia whispered before puking out the rest of what she just ate.

"Not your fault," Jericho soothed. "We didn't know it would do this. It didn't happen before, so it's just the pregnancy. It's all right."

_:My Queen, we'll get you more ice cream, okay?:_  Robin said gently.

_:I did not expect the very smell of it to make me so ill!:_  she cringed.

_:None of us did. Now we know. Just rest easy. Having you lose all of what you ate will hurt you soon enough. We need you to eat again.:_  he sighed.

_:I can't even think about food right now.:_  she whimpered. He gave her a soft, gentle kiss mentally to help ease her back down. Jericho nodded to him and thought.

"The smell of human food will make her ill again. I'll have to take her back home. If you eat some, brush your teeth to remove the scent and taste," Jericho advised.

"I can do that," Robin nodded. "Let me check on the others."

"We're going now," Jericho whispered to her. "Lean into me. There you go."

"But...if I leave without Robin..." she fretted.

"My Queen, I'll be right behind you," Robin smiled softly. "Aelfric will ensure it."

"True," she chuckled. He nodded and opened the door to walk out. At the scent of pizza in the air from the open door, she turned to the toilet to dry heave. Jericho hissed again and quickly teleported them to their bedroom in Ireland.

"Is she all right?" Raven frowned when Robin approached them.

"She threw up all of the ice cream," he winced. "The very smell of human food upsets her stomach right now. It should be fine after the pregnancy..."

"Yeah," Beast Boy nodded. "Oh. I'll make sure to brush my teeth before checking on her later."

"Good. I'll be doing the same thing," Robin said when he grabbed a slice. He couldn't pass up a good pizza, and Ambrosia didn't want him to. She reassured him that she would want to try some in full when she was free of her pregnancy. She did like the bite she had before, but she couldn't keep it down. She did like the tofu waffles, too.

"Want any more?" Cyborg asked when he grabbed another slice.

"A couple more," Robin grinned. Right after he demolished them, he got up to head into his bedroom to brush his teeth thoroughly in his bathroom. Right when he walked out to his main bedroom, he stumbled to his knees from the pain that racked his body. _A fit._ He gasped and fought hard to keep control. There was something different about this one. He actually felt something grow within his mind. The well within him finally opened a bit more. There was only one downside. He needed nectar.  _Badly._

He pulled out the two vials he had and downed them quickly. It took off the edge, but not by much. He coughed and pulled himself to the bed. Grabbing onto his pendant, it already knew what needed to be done. He was taken straight to the bed by Jericho.

"Come here," Ambrosia whispered.

"No! I'll hurt you..." Robin winced. She kissed him, anyways, to let him get the nectar he desperately needed. He forced himself to be moderate about it. She may be able to give him just enough now, but she had to conserve her strength, too. After three swallows, he was able to lightly pull himself away with a sigh of relief. Even with the replenishing charge from her pendant, they didn't want to risk too much to be done. At this time, even the smallest amount taken from her was dangerous.

"Do you need more?" she asked.

"I do, but not while you are so weak. Small amounts here and there will suffice," he smiled.

"All right," she smiled back softly.

"I love you, my Queen," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Robin," she whispered back. The next kiss they shared held no nectar.

"You should rest," he muttered against her lips.

"I can't sleep," she frowned. Jericho paused at a nudging thought from Tintagel.

"Darling, I'm going to try something, okay?" Jericho chuckled. She looked at him questionably, and he had her sit up in the bed carefully. A small table was now placed over her belly. Then the chess game that he and Robin had started long ago was put on top. "We finish this game. Now."

"Fine," Robin sighed. "Ah, my Queen, did you need to eat again?"

"I do. I can watch you both this way! I like it," she beamed. "I want to play the winner."

"You win," Jericho muttered. She laughed at him. He only foretold the outcome of that game all too easily. Robin chuckled and brought her an ice cream container. Taking up the silver spoon, she started to inhale the dense confection. Elvey took over to play against Tintagel now. As Ambrosia watched, she started to get drowsy. When she couldn't stay awake any longer, Robin carefully removed the empty ice cream container from her sleeping form.

" _This was why you did it?_ " he smiled.

" _Yes. Elvey, do you remember how the same thing needed to be done with Esmiralda? When she had problems sleeping, all we needed to do was play a game of chess and have her watch?_ " Tintagel chuckled. " _The same is for our daughter._ "

" _Good to know,_ " Elvey chuckled back. " _Shall we finish it?_ "

" _May as well. It's collected enough dust,_ " he grinned. Their game was inevitably interrupted an hour later by a knock on the door. Robin took over to get up and answer it.

"Yes? Speedy? What's up?" Robin asked.

"Any idea on what's happening?" he asked.

"Right now it's just waiting for the tests and monitoring the city. A dream vision training will likely happen tonight. If you want to be a part of it, you'd better sleep at a good time."

"Okay. Is she doing all right?" he asked now.

"She's fine. Sleeping, so keep it down," Jericho said lightly.

"Right," Speedy nodded. When Aqualad appeared, Robin nodded to him and gestured for silence. He stepped out into the hallway to close the door behind him.

"What's up?" Robin asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you know if Trident is part of the tests?" Aqualad asked.

"He is. So is Cheshire," Robin sighed.

"Oh, great," Speedy moped. They now got a rundown of who was there. At the mention of Doctor Light, they sputtered laughter of disbelief.

"Him?!" Aqualad gasped through his tears of laughter.

"Yes," Robin grinned ruefully. "Anyways, Ambrosia needs to sleep. She smelled pizza back at the Tower and threw up everything she ate. So, no human food around her until the kid is born. She can have it afterwards. She ate some just fine at first. So, we know that this is from the pregnancy."

"Ouch," Aqualad winced. "Makes sense."

"She can still eat it, but not right now," he said. "We just gotta play it by ear until she gets through this mess. Oh. A bit of news for you guys. Slade is...silently turn-coating. He's trying to help us gain an advantage. As to why, it's simple. He's enthralled by Ambrosia. As to how, I'll tell you all later. So, if you see me talking to Slade via communicator, it may be Elvey in control. I still don't trust him. I can't. So, Elvey's handling it all."

"Wow. Okay. Thanks for the warning," Speedy blinked with surprise.

"Would you really trust him around Ambrosia?" Aqualad frowned.

" _She's not unprotected. Remember that,_ " Elvey said softly when he came forth. " _I won't hesitate to laugh my head off while I dismember each limb slowly and painfully from his body, if he so much as removes a hair from her without permission._ "

"Right..." Aqualad swallowed hard.

"Wow..." Speedy cringed.

" _He knows not to mess with me,_ " Elvey smirked. " _Besides...unlike the others, he's honorable. He was forced into the tests. He didn't agree to it._ "

"Really? That's...wow..." Aqualad said.

" _Yes. Anyways, I'm sure a dream training will happen. Robin will be sitting out with Jericho. Ambrosia can't have them leave her for too long. Tintagel and I may be doing the same. Mr. Wayne may be in them again, too. Alfred may possibly join, as well,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _I'll see you both there._ "

"Okay," Aqualad nodded. They all shook hands and separated out. He moved back into the bedroom silently and muttered softly.

"Hmm?" Jericho looked over.

" _We still have some time to kill until the dream training,_ " Elvey thought.

" _Let's finish this game,_ " Tintagel said when he came forth.

" _Sure. Then we'll start another game that will collect dust for another two months,_ " Elvey teased. " _Then again, I'm sure we'll need to do this for Ambrosia, anyways._ "

" _True. Now shut up and get over here,_ " he grinned. The next four hours were spent just like that until the calls were made to get some rest for the dream training. The moment the chess set was moved, and they fell asleep, the dream was able to start.


	45. Chapter 45

When Robin woke to find Elvey standing with Ambrosia, he looked a touch concerned. Even Esmiralda looked tense. Tintagel was walking over to them rather briskly.  _Something was up._

"None of us can train. We will watch and direct others. Ambrosia is clearly in such a state of mind that she will panic if any of us get hurt. We can't have that," Tintagel said with a shake of his head.

"Ambrosia?" Jericho whispered when he got hugged by her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered back.

"Don't be," Robin said quickly. "We were expecting this. It's fine. Let's go sit down and see who appears, okay? We can watch them train. We have books to read, too."

"Okay," she nodded. He placed a hand on her swollen belly to comfort her. Jericho helped lead her to the gazebo seating to settle in a chair. A recliner was found for her to make it easier for her back to be free of pain. Esmiralda blinked at something she saw and frowned heavily.

"Essi?" Elvey asked. She grimaced and whispered softly to him. "That's impossible."

"I know," she agreed. "But, it's what our daughter needs."

"Needs what?" Tintagel asked. At her soft whisper, he paled. "Wouldn't that kill the training dream? I mean...well..."

"What does she need?" Jericho asked. Tintagel sent him a mental thought, and his eyes went wide with complete disbelief. Robin had no idea what to think of when Elvey gave him the same message.  _Aelfric wanted only them to be in a dream room with Ambrosia. The unborn child wanted a form of close family time._  Jericho glanced at the glowing mithril crystal around Ambrosia's neck with a bit of relief.  _At least the crystal was keeping her charged through all of this._ It was able to appear in this dream to fully assist her.

"Let me get the others here. We might be able to do something," Elvey said in a soothing way. "I can only hope that the training dream won't crash down."

"Or that others would get what's going on," Tintagel muttered.

"True," Elvey sighed. He focused to bring Bruce and Alfred into the dream training. Bruce had apparently snuck a blue moon crystal under his butler's pillow.

"Where am I?" the butler asked with fascination.

"This is a dream training," Bruce grinned. "Glad you could make it."

"What am I to do?" Alfred frowned.

"Observe. That's all that is needed," Bruce winked. "Tintagel? Is everything all right?"

"To an extent," the old King sighed. "Aelfric will not let us train. You can with the other Titans, though. If you feel like it."

"Robin!" Starfire said happily, as she flew over to the gazebo. At his look of frustration, she frowned. "Robin? What is with the up?"

"Sorry. Aelfric keeps pulling me through hoops," Robin sighed.

"What hoops? Is it a game?" she smiled.

"It's a figment of speech, Star," he grinned. "Aelfric is very demanding of me. That's all."

"Well, he always is, right?" she giggled.

"Too much," Jericho chuckled. Ambrosia was resting heavily against him. Robin had to keep himself available for the other Titans that came into the dream.

"I brought some books. Surprisingly. If we have time to read, at least we will have them ready for us," Raven said. A mountain of books appeared behind her. Elvey and Tintagel groaned as one.  _At least the books were sorted!_  The massive Earth Elemental now appeared and looked over with amusement. At the thought from Ambrosia, it took on a look of concern. It looked over at the other elementals when they appeared. It rumbled to them of Ambrosia's plight.

"What are they doing?" Tintagel frowned.

"Trying to help," Esmiralda smiled warmly. "They suggest to do the dream training as planned. Let the Titans learn what they must. They may even help us with what we need to do later. But, before they help the Titans, they want to do something fun for us."

"What is that?" Ambrosia asked with a sleepy smile. Then she blinked at what was sent to her.

"They want to do this to entertain Aelfric," Esmiralda giggled. As Elvey continued to bring in various Titans, the elementals were getting ideas on what to do. The Earth Elemental rumbled to the Fire Elemental, and it hissed with agreement. The land was now set in an odd way. It was a chessboard. The Titans that made it into the dream training were gaping with surprise.

"Are they gonna play chess?!" Beast Boy grinned.

"It looks like it," Jericho said with a small laugh. Various chess pieces now formed up, but then the Water Elemental thought. At the slushing sound it made now, the Earth Elemental laughed and removed the pieces from the landscape.

"Now, this is interesting," Esmiralda smiled. "They would like to use various Titans as the chessboard pieces. When they have to move for the elementals, they would spar against each other to get to where they need to go. What do you all think?"

"If the elementals can beef us up a bit when we have to do this, I'm game!" Hot Spot grinned.

"This will be interesting," Bushido thought with amusement. Then the Earth Elemental looked over at Esmiralda to rumble to her. Her jaw dropped.

"Essi?" Elvey asked carefully.

"The Earth Elemental would like me to bring in Slade to act as a chess piece..." Esmiralda said softly. "With young Robin here, it may not be safe."

"The Unseelie Court can glean information from them. I can see such a thing being done after the tests. Not before," Tintagel said. The Earth Elemental rumbled again, but this time towards him.

" _HIS...MEMORIES...WILL...BE...LOCKED..._ " the Earth Elemental grounded out.

"Locked?" Jericho frowned. Robin was tense, but he softened when Ambrosia pat his hand.

"He still has a moon crystal in his mask," Ambrosia said gently. "The elementals can lock what he learns here in that crystal. He will forget what he learned until he dreams again. The memories will return in dreams, but get stolen from him when he wakes each time."

"I see!" Elvey said with amazement. "It would be as though a glamour is placed on him, but channeled through the crystal! Very clever, if I do say so, myself."

"Young Robin, you must remain with my daughter for this to work," Esmiralda warned.

"She's right," Elvey said. "You'll fight him when you see him."

"Starfire, I want to show you a neat attack," Tintagel said. Elvey had given him a small look that he easily translated into distraction time.

"Really?!" Starfire beamed. Tintagel moved off with her a short way, and Robin knelt down to Ambrosia to softly whisper in her ear.

"My Queen," he started, but she smiled softly at him.

"Robin," she sighed. "I want you to remain at my side. In this dream, Slade is not real. There is no need for you attack him. Promise me. Right now. You will show no malice to him in any dreams with me. The elementals will keep you from him, too. I don't think you want Fire or Earth to stop you."

"I promise," he nodded. "And...eh...no. I don't want the elementals to stop me."

"Wise words," Jericho grinned. Robin scowled at him to get him laughing. When word spread at who was going to join them, Cyborg was very skeptical.

"I have a request," he said. The elementals looked at him curiously. "But, before that, what would you want Slade to do?"

At the Earth Elemental's rumble, Esmiralda said, "He would play as the king chess piece. But, he would need to achieve that goal as a pawn first."

"Now, that's ironic," Raven grinned. "Slade is currently a pawn. In a way, you would want him to overcome that status on his own."

"Burn!" Beast Boy howled with laughter.

"And all of us would be against him," Bumble Bee snickered.

"I'm game!" Speedy grinned.

"This will be fun," Herald said with his own grin.

"Can we use our powers?" Jinx asked. At the elemental's rumble and shake of its head, she frowned. "So, we can't?"

"You need to devise ways without them as a fail-safe," Esmiralda explained. "As a training dream, this is why you must do so. Slade does not fully know what you do. It also needs to be hidden from the Unseelie should they find out, too. Granted, there are some here that have no choice in the use of their powers. You could, but you could be at risk of giving yourself away."

"It should be fine for her and Herald," Elvey said. "They are not partaking in the tests. They are High Warlocks. They are immune. If they are used as chess pieces, they can do what they want."

"Same with me," Raven grinned.

" _As it should be..._ " a voice emanated around her. Now she gaped and stared down at her robe. " _In dreams, I have a voice. It will be needed for you. Outside of dreams, I will be silent._ "

"Okay. I'm amazed," Tintagel said with disbelief. The elementals chuckled and rumbled to themselves. Bruce was bearing silent witness to everything.

" _Raven, child, there is much we need to discuss at length. Now that I have more power here, it must be done. Let us move to where we can speak at length_ ," the robe said in a calm, gentle tone.

"Um...okay..." Raven blinked. Beast Boy grinned at her and watched her fly off. But, for some reason, there was a tinge of jealousy, too. Something felt off about it. It was the same vibe he got when that dragon got out of the book to use Raven. Esmiralda took notice of Beast Boy's look of worry.

"Beast Boy," she said, as she walked to him. "What ails you?"

"Huh?" he asked. "Oh. I feel good that Raven is happy about this, but I'm kinda...not sure, too. Remember that dragon that used her? I feel like something like that may happen."

"Your worry is just, but not needed," Esmiralda soothed. "Think of her robe as Elvey is to Robin. An older brother. A guide. A mentor. Will her robe gain a shape in this dream? It's possible! But, hold no malice. Raven is very safe. You have my word."

"Okay," Beast Boy smiled. What Esmiralda didn't tell him was that the robe was making plans to reach out to Raven in her dreams now for further training. She didn't want him to worry. When she made her way back to her daughter's side, she noticed the sigh of relief that escaped Ambrosia's lips. Aelfric was about to complain about the lack of attention.

"Okay," Elvey said with a bit of focus. When Slade's form appeared in the center of the chess board, Robin tensed. But, he remembered his promise to Ambrosia.  _I won't fight the honorable villain right now._  When Slade looked around curiously, he paused at the sight of the elementals studying him.

"Where...am I...?" Slade asked with shock.

"A training ground," Tintagel said calmly. "Your goal is, as a pawn, to make your way across the playing field. It's a chess board, if you haven't noticed. Become the 'king' status. But, you will need to make it past the other Titans before you. Each one has the roll of a various chess piece. You should notice their placements to get an idea. The elementals may or may not guide you on where to move. As for the Titans, they will be guided. And, so you know, I am Tintagel. The very one in the mind of King Jericho. Elvey, my brother-in-arms, brought you here. Be glad that you aren't fighting us."

"Be  _very_  glad," Elvey said with a small chuckle. Slade paused at the soft, velvety tone. He recognized this tone from Robin all too well. And he was challenged with that chuckle.

"I should fight you..." Slade mused.

"If you do, you die," Elvey snorted. "I'd prove a point, but I promised my daughter I wouldn't fight. Right now, that is. When the child is born, I'll definitely take you up on your offer."

"That is Slade?" Alfred frowned.

"Yes," Bruce muttered. "The same man that's been stealing my technology."

"A pity," the butler sighed with a shake of his head. Slade seemed to glare at Bruce with mistrust, but the Earth Elemental got his full attention from the heavy rumbling warning given.

"Do not fight those that are not on the chess field. If you do, you face the wrath of the elementals here," Esmiralda warned. "I am Esmiralda. Mother to Ambrosia and life mate to Tintagel. Do well in your challenge, and we shall see if you can come back to train in other ways."

"So...I am training...?" Slade asked.

"Yep!" Hot Spot snickered. He was placed as a king piece. Beast Boy was set as a rook. Jinx and Herald were placed as bishops. Cyborg and Speedy were now knights. Starfire was set as a queen, and that had Robin smile with a bit of pride. Wildebeest was set as another rook. Kole and Gnarrk were placed as pawns. Aqualad was also a pawn. Bushido was set in the front line as a pawn, too. Pantha was now set up as a pawn. Kid Flash had made it into the dream training, and he was set as a pawn.

"Two spots left," Tintagel frowned.

"I can participate," Alfred chuckled. "I may not do much, but I can help deter."

"I'll help, too," Bruce nodded. They were now placed on the field. The board was set. It was Slade against all of them. Earth rumbled to Esmiralda, and she nodded.

"It has been decided. Slade, the path you choose is your own. The elementals will direct their pieces against you. When you are ready, you may begin," Esmiralda announced.

"This will be interesting," Robin mused.

"And fun," Jericho grinned. Ambrosia watched calmly, as Slade moved towards Bushido. Water took over Bushido's movements to show the honorable teen how to move and suppress Slade's advancement. They were going to teach the Titans how to maneuver and work together against this enemy using various elemental counters. Since Slade was enthralled by Ambrosia, he had no idea what his true purpose was being used for.  _He was being used as a practice target._

"Are these...creatures...truly guiding your movements?!" Slade growled with frustration.

"They teach me how to move against you," Bushido smirked. "If you cannot move past me, choose another path. I do not mind."

Slade thought hard and moved to get around Kole. Earth took her over lightly to show how she could use her body as a road block instead of a weapon. When Slade tried to get past Pantha, Fire let her shove a scorching wave of air at Slade to keep him back. Slade now turned to look at Alfred, but Wind was ready for him. Alfred was now able to move swiftly to confuse where Slade had to go. He kept finding himself turned around and facing the opposite way he approached. When he tried to walk backwards into Alfred, he was spun around easily and back at the start.

"This isn't fair!" Slade growled.

"Nothing is," Robin muttered darkly. Slade glared slightly at him, but refocused when his hand pulsed with pain. Looking at Bruce now, he charged forward. Earth was able to help Bruce keep Slade back with a quick punch to the ground. Slade was not expecting the shock-wave from Bruce's fist in the ground. Slade was clearly stumped.

"This may take a while, huh?" Kid Flash grinned. Slade already knew that there was no way that he could get past that teen. Wind was ready to boost that one, too. Earth rumbled laughter and blinked at a waver in the dream. It was time for it to end.

"This will continue at a later time," Elvey nodded. "Did you wish to return, Slade?"

"Yes. We have...unfinished business now..." Slade said and stood up tall. When the vanished, the rest of the dream ended.


	46. Chapter 46

When the four of them woke up in the bed, Ambrosia still looked a touch upset. Robin blinked and checked the time on his communicator.  _Not even a couple hours went by._  Then he realized why the dream had to end when it did.

"That's right. We need a private dream now," Robin said.

"Back to sleep," Jericho murmured in his exhaustion. At Ambrosia's nuzzle, he looked at her with a bit of a questioning gaze.

"Um...I need a new gown..." she winced.

"Why?" Robin asked. When she sat up to expose the front of it being damp, both Jericho and Robin dropped their jaws. After a moment of reflection from both Elvey and Tintagel, Jericho managed to nod at what happened. He ran a hand over his forehead.  _It was getting close to the three month mark. This was bound to happen._ She got pulled close to her husband to be rocked and comforted. Robin was quick to get her another light blue gown. He didn't realize exactly how much her pregnancy had advanced. Sighing, as he took the soiled gown, he set it aside and climbed back into the bed.

"Don't apologize," Jericho muttered before she could say anything. That had her smile softly and kissed just as gently. "I love you, Ambrosia."

"I love you, too, Jericho," she smiled. Robin chuckled and glanced up when Elvey detected something outside the wards. Jericho narrowed his eyes at that.

" _Who...is wandering around...above us?_ " Robin seemed to muse when Elvey came out.

" _We need to do that dream, but we need to know what is going on,_ " Tintagel growled, as he emerged. " _Can we have Raven or another check?_ "

" _I will check,_ " Elvey muttered.

"No," Ambrosia whispered and shivered. Robin looked at her now and grimaced. She clearly needed him as physically close as possible. He did the next best thing by grabbing his communicator.

"This is Robin. To any Titan awake or bored stiff," Robin said sternly. "intruder alert outside the Ireland castle! Subdue, identify, and report! Go!"

He dressed quickly in case he was needed. Starfire was at the bedroom door. At her frown on the alert, he gestured to Ambrosia to show why he couldn't go.

"Oh! Friend Ambrosia is hurting?" Starfire blinked.

"In a sense. She can't have me leave her right now. Aelfric won't let it happen," Robin sighed. When his communicator went off, he answered it. "Yes? I'm here."

"You're not gonna believe this," Cyborg snorted. "Do you know him?"

When the video picked up Orin's face, Robin hissed. "He is a traitor!"

" _Escort him off the grounds!_ " Tintagel's stern command rang off. " _I will not allow any audience with him! Contact King Ealdun! Any Fae King can also be contacted to see to his punishment for approaching! He has done too much harm!_ "

"I wish another chance!" Orin managed to shout over the communicator line.

" _For what?!_ " Elvey seethed out. " _You tried to abort my son. The stink of Unseelie is on your person. You told others that Ambrosia is in her second month and said nothing of her past plight. You even tried to accommodate her golden brush to take a hair from her! Why should you get another chance?! You have signed your own death warrant by appearing._ "

"Then why don't you deliver it?!" Orin growled. Robin was about to agree, but something made him look at Ambrosia. _She was shaking. The violence of the situation was scaring her._ Then he paused in realization.  _This was what the traitor came for. To cause her stress. To see how far along she was._ Robin now looked into the communicator with a grim thought.

"Now I know why you are here. You have lost. Cyborg. Contact any Elder Fae still awake and let them know of this situation. I will not allow Ambrosia to see anymore hatred come from me. It hurts her. That was Orin's main goal," Robin said lightly.

"Oh, man..." Cyborg groaned. "You're serious?! He came here to stress her out?!"

" _He did,_ " Jericho muttered. The star sapphire on Ambrosia's neck seemed to shimmer. Then the mithril crystal started to flicker with a pulsing signal.

"Robin! Her necklace!" Starfire gasped. Robin turned now and saw Jericho reading the signals.

"Her crystal has just suggested a far worse fate," Jericho smirked. Then Tintagel took over to say, " _It says to let the Earth Elemental swallow Orin. To let true, raw Fae energy do the work for us._ "

" _For what purpose?_ " Elvey asked with a sadistic grin.

" _Fae energy will course through him and inflict harm on the Unseelie. It will warn them,_ " Tintagel said with a smirking grin. " _And Orin will suffer a painful death for this final act of betrayal, too. Of course, we should council with the other royal Fae first._ "

"I can contact them now," Cyborg grinned. Orin was pale and shaking with complete terror now. He had no idea of the horrific death in store for him. It was worse than any concocted nightmare he ever dreamt of. Even as the calls were made, he was shaking violently.

" _Tintagel, should this go through and Orin is consumed,_ " Elvey said with a chilling smile. " _keep Slade's crystal in focus..._ "

" _In case the pain echoes...right..._ " Tintagel said with his own cold grin. Ambrosia seemed to give her own pleasing smile. It would safeguard her even more.

"What?" Starfire asked.

" _If a body that has a pact with the Unseelie dies, the pain of death can be reflected to them. Of course, it depends on how severe the pain is. Remember the raw Fae energy that surrounded us in the Earth Elemental? And how hot Ambrosia's mithril crystal pendant was when you put your hands around it?_ " Elvey asked her gently. At her soft blush and nod, he continued. " _Imagine that heat being a searing blaze to melt away skin, muscles, and bones within seconds. Like acid._ "

" _Or, depending on how much the Earth Elemental wishes for Orin to suffer, he could be caged in such a way for small traces to slowly leak through. Like being digested over time,_ " Tintagel said.

"That...is such a...horrible fate...!" Starfire gasped and cringed.

"It is," Ambrosia agreed. "But, to one that has done such wrong..."

"Don't think of it," Jericho whispered to her with a soft kiss. "There is no need to stress you."

"Okay," she nodded. He pressed a kiss to her temple and glanced over at Robin. He sighed when Robin suddenly gave over a large tub of the ice cream she needed. When it was emptied out, another was quickly given over. Her mithril crystal seemed to pulse with an idea and began to refill what she ate.

"Now that is clever!" Jericho chuckled. The pendant shimmered with a form of delight.

"A never-ending supply," Robin smiled softly. Starfire now had an idea and flew out of the room quickly. She brought back a black jar with red splotches on it. She had a beaming grin on her face. Robin recognized the jar rather easily and groaned.

"Can you fill this with my favorite treat? Zorkaberries are my people's favorite thing to eat! If you can help me get more, I would appreciate it," she beamed a bit more.

"Just don't feed any to Silkie," Robin said seriously. "He'll grow like crazy!"

"No, no! This is just for me, Robin," Starfire assured him. "Of course...if Silkie did want some...I could let him partake in it, too..."

"No!" Robin said sternly. "He'll eat the Tower down to nothing and explode all over the place again! We don't need that."

"Starfire," Ambrosia said lightly. "I can see about making the delicacy for you, but...if Robin is concerned about Silkie eating it, too..."

"It was a giant mess!" Robin moped.

"Was it cleaned up?" she asked.

"Silkie and Star...ate the mess..." Robin muttered weakly. Ambrosia stifled a giggle. Jericho looked at him with a touch of disbelief. He didn't know about this yet.

"It was all still good to eat!" Starfire giggled. "And Silkie did not grow from it!"

"But...you and him...ate something that he...ugh...okay, I'm done thinking about it," Robin said with a quick shake of his head. "If you get more of those berries, then fine. Just don't feed them to Silkie. Okay? Do you understand?"

"I do," Starfire nodded. "I promise I will not let him eat any. The berries do taste so divine!"

"Thank you," Robin smiled. At Ambrosia's look of amusement, he said, "I wouldn't. I would wait until after Aelfric is born. You should be able to try it then."

"True," Ambrosia nodded. "I don't seem to react to the smell of those, um, zorkaberries, but I understand the caution. It would not be safe."

"It wouldn't," Jericho nodded. "But...I think I would like to try one. Can your pendant assist?"

The mithril crystal shimmered, and the jar was now brimming with the small, purple berries. Jericho was able to claim one and marveled that it looked like a blueberry in appearance. When he put it in his mouth, he paused at the bitterness he experienced and forced himself to swallow it.

"Strong?" Robin grinned.

"I need some water!" Jericho grimaced and reached for a nearby pitcher.

"It is a strong taste for you," Starfire giggled.

"And your people...love that?" Jericho asked after he swallowed down the water to cleanse the taste from his mouth.  _I've never tasted something so bitter!_

"Oh, yes! It is divine!" Starfire said with a swoon when she ate a few berries.

"Just remember. None for Silkie," Robin reminded her. She nodded and took the full jar to her room. He sighed and moved to sit on the bed. Leaning back into Ambrosia's embrace, he answered his communicator. "Robin here. What's up?"

"King Ealdun, King Elvey, and King Warren are going to head to the castle now. Just letting you know," Cyborg said. "Beast Boy is helping watch over this guy."

" _Good. The Earth Elemental may want to eat him and ingest him with raw Fae energy,_ " Elvey snickered when he took over. " _If he wants a last meal, better feed him._ "

"Ah...wow...okay..." Cyborg blinked. "This dude's done, huh?"

" _Very,_ " Elvey nodded. At the knock on the door, Raven was there when he answered it.

"I heard what was to happen to him. My robe agrees with the punishment," she said with her arms crossed over her chest. "It would be fitting to both him and the Unseelie Court."

" _It was Ambrosia's pendant that suggested it,_ " Tintagel grinned. Raven's jaw dropped, as her robe laughed mentally to her. At a thought at what the robe suggested next, she chuckled.

"My robe would like to see how much torment Earth can give to him," she said.

" _I'm sure we'll find out,_ " Elvey nodded. " _The moment our allied Fae Kings appear, bring them to me, please. Ambrosia cannot have me leave her side. Aelfric is far too demanding right now._ "

When Ambrosia was about to apologize, Jericho put a finger to her mouth with a shake of his head. At her small blush, he smiled.  _Nothing was her fault._ He had to constantly remind her. "Nothing is your fault, darling. Remember that. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded with a tired sigh. At the knock on the door, Robin opened it to nod to King Warren. Elvin and Ealdun were next to appear to find their places. The council was now there to judge Orin's fate. Jericho kept a comforting hand on his wife's belly, and Tintagel took over to speak.

" _We are ready for judging the traitor. Since Ambrosia's mithril crystal is sentient, it suggested a rather cruel fate,_ " Tintagel smirked. He looked at Robin and nodded.

" _It suggested..._ " Elvey grinned. " _to let the Earth Elemental eat him._ "

"You're not serious?!" Ealdun gaped.

"That would be...rather fitting, though..." Warren mused.

"A message to the Unseelie Court?" Elvin asked.

" _A big message,_ " Tintagel smirked.

"I approve," Warren said quickly.

"Let it commence," Elvin nodded.

"As much as we would lose another pureblood Fae, he is already lost," Ealdun sighed sadly. "He died the moment he joined with the Unseelie."

" _That he did,_ " Tintagel agreed.

"I accept the punishment to be done," Ealdun said with a shake of his head.

" _The Royal Council has spoken,_ " Elvey said softly with a nod. Grabbing the communicator, he said, " _Raven. Cyborg. Beast Boy. Any other Titan that is listening in. Heed this now. Orin, the traitor of our alliance, has been judged guilty for treason. His punishment is to be consumed by the Earth Elemental. For those that wish to spectate this event, appear outside the Ireland castle now. If you miss it, then you miss it. Contact Herald for transport, if needed. That is all._ "

"Harsh judgment," Cyborg snorted.

"It's fitting," Raven said with a small shrug.

"He deserves every scrap of what's coming to him!" Beast Boy growled. "He put me to sleep, tried to hurt Ambrosia and Aelfric..."

"We know," Cyborg said. Starfire soon appeared with her berry jar to eat out of like a tub of popcorn. Many Titans recognized the jar and made sure that Silkie wasn't around. Quite a few of the Titans wanted to see what was going to happen. The Fae man that stood in the center of them didn't speak a single word. He knew what was coming now.

When the massive stone hand came up from the ground, Orin gave out a small shout of surprise. He was effectively caged. He didn't even realize how large this elemental was, either. As all this was happening, Jericho had various moon crystals broadcasting the event. Any Fae that was able to tune in to this now saw what was going to happen firsthand to anyone that tried to go against proper Judgment. After this example, it was quite doubtful that any would dare to cross them.

The elemental glared at the small Fae in its hand and opened up its large, gold-tinted mouth. Orin screamed, as he was let go and simply swallowed into blackness. Now that it was done, Tintagel focused on Slade's moon crystal. The result that he saw and reported was rather pleasing.

The villains were training, bickering, eating, and doing whatever else they needed to do. The bonus was Sinlus appearing to check on them. The vile Unseelie pawn knew something was wrong when he fell to his knees in gasping pain with the others. On checking through the mild links he had with those he tricked in the past, he discovered what happened.

"Masters!" Sinlus gasped. "Orin! Severe that one!"

The two vile sprites appeared to comply to him. At first they were puzzled. When they peered into the mind of their servant, they roared with intense pain.

_"We have now heeded!"_

_"That Orin is not needed!"_

_"He is severed now!"_

_"Oh, the pain! How?!"_

"I tried to have him strike at Ambrosia," Sinlus winced and coughed. Now that the link was severed from Orin, there was no more pain. They seethed at him with complete distaste with a heavy glare. It was true that they made a pact to not harm her. They had not realized that their pawns would make their own hasty decisions to try and speed things along.

_"For this decision..."_

_"There will be no intrusions!"_

_"That beautiful Fae with golden locks..."_

_"You shall not touch! You dare to mock?!"_

_"You will wait for the tests!"_

_"You and the foul pests!"_

_"You should not forget what we meant..."_

_"And if you do not relent..."_

_"You will feel no mercy!"_

_"There shall be no parlay!"_

"You have my vow!" Sinlus winced. The Council was very ticked that they lost one of their tools. Orin was their inner spy in the Seelie Court, when he could get in, and now they had nothing. They would have to figure out what they could do to spy on the enemy. He could feel the displeasure seething from the two sprites. He was now walking on very thin ice. When they vanished, he could only glare at the ground.  _How was I to know that Orin was going to killed like that?!_

"What was that...pain...?" Slade asked, as he walked over.

"The Masters severed the nerve that caused it," Sinlus muttered. "It is of no more concern."

"A pawn was lost?"

"In so many words...yes."

"I see. You are the cause?"

"Shut up!" Sinlus snapped. Slade simply crossed his arms over his chest and blinked his single eye. Sinlus knew the human was smirking at him.

"You should have spoken with me. Anyways...it's done. Right?" Slade shrugged.

"And how would you have helped?" Sinlus snorted. "You don't know Fae society. You can't see the buildings. How would you have tried to help?"

"Animals could have worked for us, you know," Slade said lightly. At Sinlus's blink, he continued, "Apparently...Fae are...beings of Nature. Right? So, birds and animals can see them. They...gather around them. Or am I wrong?"

"Human technology cannot come to par with Fae magic," Sinlus muttered. "Video cameras may catch glimpses. Small sparks of energy and such. What you call ghosts could be Fae inhabitants. Even then, the Fae Folk knows how to look for signs of human tampering. Want to know why scientists are always baffled about why most animals lose their tracking devices? There you go."

"But...if a 'tracking device' was on an animal long enough to get to a desired location," Slade thought aloud. Now Sinlus looked at him with intense thought. "Of course, the animal would need to be trained exceptionally well. Wild animals would just go wherever they need to. Robotic animals..."

"Would be avoided," Sinlus said with a small sigh. "Even I can smell metal objects from a mile away. It would not be feasible."

"Then...we have no insider," Slade sighed. "Unless..."

"What?"

"Can the Unseelie...possess animals?"

"They can, but they can be detected. Both the Seelie and Unseelie have a way of sensing each other. It may work for a while. But, not for long."

"Enough to...help get an advantage?" Slade suggested.

"Hmm..." Sinlus now thought to the ones that controlled him. "They say no. After the tests, if all goes well, they will see what can be done. They want no more interference from us. You don't want to piss them off. Trust me."

"Oh, I know all too well," Slade mused lightly. "I'll go back to my...studies."

"You do that," Sinlus snorted and vanished. As Slade walked away, he had a desire to see Ambrosia again.  _Why was that?_  He pushed the thought away from his mind when Cheshire bounded up to him. Now that he was busy giving slight attention to her, Tintagel pushed away the connection.

" _Very interesting, brother,_ " Elvey mused.

" _Oh. The other Kings have left?_ " Tintagel chuckled. Ambrosia was resting against him, and he had his arms around her to keep her close.

" _They did. I told them that you were checking on the enemy. They felt it was best to leave to avoid suspicion. They will contact us in the morning to inform us of various Fae city gossips. I'm sure that quite a few Fae have seen what you sent out. There may be questions._ "

" _Good. Let them handle it._  Are you tired?" Jericho asked his wife.

"A bit. I can't sleep," she frowned.

" _We still need to dream,_ " Robin frowned. He grabbed the chess set to set it up for her to watch. Ten minutes later, she was sleeping soundly. " _Should we finish the game?_ "

" _Okay. Check mate! I won!_ " Jericho grinned, as he pushed a rook into place.

" _Damn you!_ " Robin scowled and moved the chess game.

" _We finished it,_ " he shrugged. They laughed at each other and settled to sleep.


	47. Chapter 47

The dream room they appeared in looked oddly like their main bedroom. Tintagel, Esmiralda, and Elvey were sitting around a game of chess. Robin, Ambrosia, and Jericho were still in the bed. Even though the setting still seemed the same, this was what Ambrosia needed. Just by having her parents there in a non-training environment helped keep her stable.

As the calmness of the dream room continued, Ambrosia noticed that Robin was tense. She felt that something was wrong. Frowning softly, she thought to him.  _:What is wrong?:_

_:Huh? Oh. Nothing really.:_  he managed to say.

_:Do not lie to me, my human.:_  she said softly.  _:Something is wrong.:_

_:I am horrified of what I'm turning into.:_  he finally confessed.  _:With what just transpired. Elvey takes over so much now. I feel that I...I'm losing who I am meant to be.:_

_:Who you are meant to be?:_  she asked.

_:As a Titan, I am supposed to be a defender for all. Yes, Orin was a bad Fae. He had done so much wrong! But...the fate he was given...:_  he sighed mentally.  _:There was no other way?:_

_:Robin...:_  she sighed back and mentally leaned into him.  _:There was a Council of royal Fae. Their Judgment was just. They knew Orin after all these years. His fate was discussed between them all. We could not chance him coming back. Yes, I hate such decisions as well, but it was my pendant that wished it to happen, too. How could I not agree?:_

_:Was Elvey always so ruthless?:_

_:Robin, dearest, remember what he was in life. He was the Laughing Battle Mage. He was kind when he was with friends, family, and neutrals. I am also his daughter. He was protecting me. He doesn't want to fail in that again.:_  she said with a soft sadness.  _:You know his memories. You saw how he died. He died to protect me. It was in vain. When anything of the Unseelie Court arises, he will show cold, uncaring hatred. It is ingrained in him now. Even in life, it was how he was.:_

_:How will he be when it comes to me testing against Slade?:_

_:He may take over just enough to keep you calm. He may not do that at all. Slade is enthralled by me. I honestly doubt he will willingly fight you.:_

_:But, he would have to fight! Wouldn't he?:_

_:I do feel that there is one thing he could do. Just one thing.:_

_:What would that be?:_

_:He could see about forfeiting the fight.:_

_:Can he do that?!:_

_:He was forced into the Unseelie Court ways. It would be his right. However, we cannot tell him. He would need to figure that out. We cannot hint it. We cannot speak it. He would need to know on his own. We cannot let the Unseelie Court know of this knowledge.:_

_:Then I will hope that he figures it out. If he's smart, then he will.:_  Robin nodded.  _:Because, if Elvey takes me over to confront him...:_

_:Then he is already dead.:_  she said with a small wince and a nod. He pressed a kiss to her temple and let her snuggle into him. She knew he was not used to seeing a dark one die like that. The only other one was Slade, but he always came back. He knew that Orin was not meant to do that.

: _My Queen, would Orin's soul come back?:_  Robin asked now.

_:Fae energy is not merciful. It kills both ally and foe alike. Everything is obliterated. Even a soul. I am quite sure that Orin was cut off when the pain hit. His soul was lost. He made his choice.:_

_:But, if a soul is released, can it be redeemed?:_  he asked.

_:Best ask King Elvey that question.:_  she smiled. He pressed a kiss to her lips and looked over at the Elder Fae to voice his question out.

"Father, I have a question for you," Robin said.

"Yes, my son?" Elvey said with a warm smile and turned to look at him.

"I was just talking to my Queen," he said. "If a soul is released by the Unseelie Court, can it be reborn? Or, if the body is eaten by Fae energy, will a soul still survive? I mean, if his soul was trapped, but then the Unseelie released it, would it have another chance for redemption?"

"That is a very good question!" Tintagel blinked.

"We had best find a book for that," Esmiralda said.

"What prompted you to ask that question?" Elvey asked. Robin sighed and sent over the mental conversation he just had. Elvey lowered his gaze with a soft smile.  _Of course, Robin wasn't used to simply killing off his opponents in such a way._ "I now know why you ask. It's about Orin. Think about this, my son. I understand that, with the ones you normally pursue, you would rather have them brought to justice in a court system. But, even if it was done, the same evil would still find a chance to be released. Either they break out, get released on 'good' behavior, or some other nefarious means. With Orin, he was out to hurt Ambrosia. He was trying to hurt Aelfric. And Aelfric is your son, too. I  _refuse_  to stand idly by and watch such torment affect my daughter. She is your Queen now. You would have ended up killing him in the end by instinct alone."

"I would have?" Robin blinked.

"Yes," Tintagel nodded. "I have witnessed a few occasions where humans bound to other Fae would berserk and outright kill the one that was tormenting their bonded Fae. You almost let it happen with Slade at the first meeting. It's why Elvey had to control you."

"Any enemy bound by the Unseelie Court will trigger the instinct. If you don't believe me, I can prove it. Right now," Elvey nodded.

"Must you?" Esmiralda frowned.

"Will Ambrosia be hurt?" Elvey asked.

"No. But...she will get upset," Esmiralda warned.

"Darling," Jericho whispered. "focus on me."

"Okay," Ambrosia nodded and let him tend to her.

"Now it should be all right," Esmiralda smiled.

"Look in the crystal," Tintagel said, as he held up a small, green moon crystal. Robin nodded and stared into it. He saw Slade working at his computer. He was mapping out a path to reach the grove again. All of this was happening now in the present.

"He would DARE to try and find her?!" Robin shouted and seethed. Then he tore himself away from the crystal to control the vile instinct to slaughter the older man. He had just gotten it back under control when he started to gasp in pain. Then he shouted from the pain that tore at his core, as he fell to his knees from the sudden shock.

"A fit?!" Elvey hissed.  _This was bad._

"Robin!" Ambrosia gasped and was quick to soothe his mind with hers. He seemed to cling to her with a form of intense relief.  _My Queen is with me._  With her as his rock of determination, he was able to master going through the fit. Elvey was all too relieved. _If he failed a fit in a dream, who knows what his body would have gone through?_

"You'll be starving when you wake up," Tintagel said. "Sleep will curb the hunger, though."

"Let young Robin awaken to appease his hunger. Then he will come back," Esmiralda said. "It is unwise to let his body torment for so long after a fit."

"I'll come back," Robin nodded. Ambrosia smiled and saw him vanish. Less than a minute later, he had returned. "Told you! Good thing you keep some ice cream handy. One small spoonful and I'm done. It put me right back to sleep, too."

"Good. I would suggest that, when we wake up, we take a trip to my library. Ambrosia can use the chair that Cyborg made for her. We need to find some information on the Unseelie Court. Your question has sparked an interest," Elvey said lightly.

"That it has," Esmiralda giggled. "As long as our daughter is kept calm and comfortable with plenty of ice cream handy, she will be fine."

"Good to know," Jericho nodded. He looked over at Robin with concern. The late teen was shaking pretty hard. He never knew that such a vile emotion would be quick to take over his thoughts.

"And now you see why I take over," Elvey said, and he got up to walk over to his son. He placed his hands on his shoulders to look into his masked eyes. "I know you don't want the other Titans to see this new instinct in you. It is unjust. It's cold. It's downright cruel. I know this all too well. I know how to handle it and work with it. You don't."

"Will I be able to in time?" Robin asked softly.

"It's possible. But, it would require mental focus. Not really physical. You could work on it while sitting with Ambrosia. I can help you, as you watch Slade when he appears in the dream trainings. I can help you control the rage you feel, if mildly. If it gets to be too much, I'll slap you around to refocus you. It's worked before," Elvey grinned ruefully.

"Father!" Robin scowled and gaped at the knuckle-rub to the top of his head.

"And now you're refocused!" Elvey chuckled. Then he ducked the swing that Tintagel gave him. "Stop that! That's not fair!"

"Kept you focused," Tintagel grinned with a shrug. Esmiralda clucked her tongue, and Ambrosia was giggling with Jericho. Elvey made a face at his brother-in-arms. On that note, the dream ended for the three to wake up.


	48. Chapter 48

Robin was still grumbling at the knuckle-rub he got when he woke up. Ambrosia had stretched, but she needed a bath. Jericho was quick to scoop her up and help her in the bathroom. Robin was still upset over the emotion he felt. It wasn't like him to do that.

_:Robin? Come to me?:_  Ambrosia asked. He grimaced and swallowed. She knew he was incredibly upset now. Walking into the bathroom brought back a wave of memories from the scents of honey and roses that assaulted him. At how she held her arms out to him with her warm, caring smile, he lost his resolve. Jericho could only chuckle and relax in the steaming water.

"Clothes off. Or the others might get suspicious," he smirked.

"Right..." Robin muttered through his heavy kiss with Ambrosia.

"Humans are...so funny..." she giggled between the kisses.

"Aren't we?" he grinned and let her help him remove his uniform.

"We have a couple hours," Jericho said. When he heard a knock on their door, he peered through the moon crystal planted there. "Darling, let Beast Boy come in."

"Ah! Okay," she nodded. She sent the mental greeting, and he was quick to come in and close the main door behind him. On walking into the bathroom, he beamed at them.

"Hey, guys! Anything happening today?" he asked and sat in a plush chair of soft cream color.

"Elvey needs us to research a couple books in his library. Ambrosia will be able to come with us as long as she reclines in Cyborg's chair. Can you make sure it's ready?" Jericho asked.

"Sure!" he grinned his fanged grin and bounded off. Robin was too caught up in his desire for Ambrosia. It was only after he finally let his need for her become sated was he able to think again.

"Robin. My human. Don't fret over what may come," she soothed, and he squeezed her. "Think of what you have as a fail-safe. If something goes wrong, that instinct will lead you to me. Much like Beast Boy trying to find me, if something happens."

"It's just that...it's difficult," he admitted and settled next to her. "I'm not one to get like that. It's not like me at all. I just...I saw Slade, and I...yes, I tend to get angry at him, but..."

"You are not one to show vile emotions like that," she nodded and caressed his cheek. "It is why King Elvey was protecting you. He knew this would happen. It was why he was adamant on staying in control. It does make sense now?"

"It does," he nodded.

"And he is correct in saying that you would be protecting me and your son," she blushed. He found himself smiling softly and pressing a hand to her belly to feel the kicking.

"Yeah..." he nodded again. A deep sigh escaped him, as he started to calm down.  _I'm going to be meeting with the others soon. I have to be myself again._

"You should shower in your room at the Tower," she said.

"I can't leave you," he frowned. "Aelfric will get ticked if I do."

"Rush the shower," Jericho shrugged. "I can smell like her. Granted, others are starting to know that you are with her, but it's best as a precaution."

"True," Robin sighed. "I should just say that Aelfric is my kid, too. Just...tell them all."

"It wouldn't be like you to do that," Ambrosia said softly. "Right now, the secrecy is needed. Yes, some do know now, but we don't know how the others will think of it. You are a leader, Robin. My parents treat you like that. Confide in King Elvey."

"Okay," he nodded. Then he blinked at the slight  _bopping_  feel that he got in his head. "Ow! Fine! He said to shower at home. Aelfric will understand."

"I know he would," Ambrosia giggled.

"I will in thirty minutes," Robin promised. Jericho only nodded and let his wife snuggle into his side. She was exhausted. Beast Boy showed up a moment later with a frown.

"She's way too tired," he said. "I can feel it."

"You can see it, too," Jericho said lightly.

"Yeah. Anyways, her chair is good to go. When do we go?" Beast Boy asked when he sat down.

"After I shower in my own bathroom," Robin said. "Thirty minutes, if that."

"Gotcha," Beast Boy nodded. "Kinda funny that Slade was used to train with us!"

"Tell me about it," Robin muttered. "Oh. That reminds me. Slade is trying to find a way to get to the grove again. I...have a nasty instinct now. Elvey showed it to me. If I see Slade, only Elvey can help keep me in check right now."

"What?" Beast Boy blinked. "Slade is trying to get to Ambrosia?! And what instinct?"

"I want to kill him," Robin growled. "And not in a legal way, either."

"Um...wow..." Beast Boy seemed to gape. He had never known Robin to let out such a vile hatred for anyone before. The most he ever saw was frustration and intense brooding.

"Robin," Ambrosia said gently to help him refocus. "Don't let King Elvey snap you back."

"I know," he managed to chuckle. "I'm okay. I just can't think about him right now."

"Dude," Beast Boy frowned. "But...if he's trying to find a way to see her..."

" _We will deal with it when time allows,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho quickly. " _Now is not the time. We need to get to Elvey's castle. If you want to see who is awake, then do so. Spread the word. Inform Raven, Herald, and Jinx, too. They can help us research._ "

"Okay. What are we looking for?" Beast Boy asked now.

" _What would happen if an Unseelie soul is freed. If there is a chance at redemption,_ " Tintagel said. " _It's about Orin. Robin was curious._ "

"Why would we want him free?" Beast Boy snorted.

"It was how he died," Robin said with a frown. Beast Boy seemed to blink, but then he lowered his eyes at Ambrosia's mental explanation.

"I get it. Okay. If he is freed and loses his memories, then I can try to be pals with him. But...if it's any other way, he'd better not get close!" Beast Boy growled.

"We know," Jericho chuckled. "That's a mutual thought all around."

Ambrosia smiled softly with a tired sigh. Then she threw up in the bath. Robin jumped out quickly, but it was reflex. Jericho was the one that calmly stood up with her, calmed her with a gentle caress to show it was fine, and nodded to Robin to help her. Beast Boy had her carton of ice cream ready when she needed it.

"Don't apologize, my Queen," Robert warned her with a smile. "I jumped out from a natural reaction. Now that I know what happened, it won't happen again."

"He speaks the truth," Jericho smiled.

"I'm so tired..." she whispered. She was starting to feel stressed. At the sight of the ice cream, she snatched it up to eat with a form of bliss.

"I'll help you dress, okay?" Robin whispered gently. "I'll need to shower and change my clothes. I'll be as quick as I can. Just think! We are going to see Elvey's library again! Aren't you excited?"

He chuckled at her blush. Then he turned to look at Jericho. The King's face was stern with a form of irritation. Robin rose a brow, as Elvey emerged. Jericho sighed and shook his head. It was Tintagel that spoke, " _Yes, it's him. He reached the grove. He's waiting patiently._ "

" _If Robin sees him without me..._ " Elvey muttered. He glanced down at Ambrosia's belly to whisper. " _Aelfric, listen carefully. An enemy of mine has appeared. You know what it means. I need ten minutes. Can you give me ten minutes?_ "

At the mass bout of kicking, it was clearly a 'no'. Robin seemed to groan, but he knew why it was declined. _It would be more than ten minutes._

"Can he take ten minutes to shower and get us over to the grove?" Beast Boy asked. That gave a single kick response.  _It could be done._

"Go. Swiftly," Jericho muttered. Robin nodded, grabbed his clothes, and quickly teleported back to the Tower. Nearly ten exact minutes later, he appeared in a clean outfit.

"Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, Jinx, and Herald are at the grove," Robin said. "Hot Spot and Speedy will be there soon. Kid Flash was harvesting when he heard the news."

"All right. Ambrosia, we're going to the grove. Feel better?" Jericho asked. She gave a small nod and was helped to the chair. "Hmm. Cyborg may need to make the cushioning softer to support you. We can have him work on that when we get there."

"We'll tell him," Beast Boy nodded. "Ya know, that would make an awesome gaming chair!"

"Maybe," Robin chuckled. Then his stance changed when Elvey took control. " _It's time._ "

" _Let's go,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho. They had to be present to show that they meant business. The moment they got there, Slade was already cornered by various Titans.

"Dude, you have no right to be here!" Cyborg glowered.

" _We're here,_ " Elvey said with a small snort. " _Slade. What brings you to this grove?_ "

"And, more importantly, how did you get here?" Raven asked. Her robe was rather curious.

"I offered to scout into the city. My request was granted. I tend to have the most ability to be kept from being caught," Slade said with a small shrug. When he saw Ambrosia reclining in the chair, he seemed to pause at the swell of her belly.  _It seemed much larger than before..._

" _Well, if you are scouting, then you are also being watched,_ " Tintagel muttered.

"I was not expecting an audience," Slade countered lightly.

" _Why are you here?_ " Elvey asked sternly. " _Answer. Now._ "

"I wanted to see her," Slade admitted lightly. "I am not sure why."

"Robin," Starfire whispered. "Is Slade truly enthralled?"

"Enthralled?" Slade asked now.

" _He is,_ " Elvey snorted. " _Pretty badly._ "

"What is this?" Slade blinked.

" _Enthrallment is known to happen to any human that becomes fascinated with a certain Fae,_ " Tintagel explained lightly. " _You wanting to see her is part of it. You feel...pulled to her. Right?_ "

"I..." Slade paused with indecision.

"It is also why you are so cooperative with us," Raven said. "It helps you be neutral to see Ambrosia. It likely happened when she healed you."

"I see..." Slade said and looked away. He had balled his hand up into a fist to keep the burning insignia under control. "Can this...enthrallment...be removed?"

"It can," Ambrosia said. "But, only if you want it removed."

"And, if it stays?" he asked.

" _Then you will be trying to find her when the urge hits. You could jeopardize her pregnancy,_ " Elvey seemed to glower. _He was definitely keeping Robin in check now!_ " _It's best if she removes it._ "

"In time. Not yet. It helps me right now..." Slade muttered and glanced down at his gloved left hand. Now Elvey rose a brow. He let the pieces fall into place. "I have been doing what I could, anyways. I don't want others in my home."

"I can make a suggestion," Ambrosia said softly. "I know that this is rough on you. It is rough on us all. So, we can make an arrangement for you to see me. Not all the time. But, it should be enough to curb the need. Will this suffice?"

" _It should be done in the dream trainings only,_ " Tintagel said in a low tone. Slade didn't remember the trainings, but it may be possible after this. " _Physical contact may be too risky. Her pregnancy is draining her. She can become too stressed out rather quickly._ "

" _And Robin may snap and try to kill you,_ " Elvey seethed lightly. " _I am doing everything that I can to keep him in check! Tintagel. We are done here. We need to leave._ "

"Robin?" Hot Spot asked.

" _Slade is his nemesis. He will never forgive him,_ " Elvey reminded the Titan. " _Yes, they can work together to defeat a common enemy. But...there is too much of a rift to form a pact._ "

"Yet, we share a common goal to keep her calm," Slade mused lightly as his gaze settled on Ambrosia. "That, in itself, may be just enough."

"You will  _never_  touch her!" Robin seethed and got pulled back by Elvey. The other Titans present paused to stare at him. Jericho took in a deep breath and shook his head. _Robin was quickly becoming too much for Elvey to control. Things were going to spiral downhill fast._ Starfire wasn't even sure of what to do, but Robin did hold up his hand to show that he was fine.

"That he won't," Raven nodded. Her robe had a glimmer of what was going on. It warned her to help direct attention away from Robin. "I won't let him, either. Viewing at a distance should be the only way. Not up close like this. Ambrosia, does this enthrallment make him want him to see you in person?"

"It can, if the need is bad enough," she frowned.

" _She is safe right now. The Unseelie promised not to harm her. But, by you being here, it's risky,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho. " _Slade, you have now seen her. Your urge to see her should be gone by now. I would offer something to assist to help pass the time, but it may be confiscated. We can't allow it. We both know how much pawns like to steal from others._ "

"All too well..." Slade agreed. He actually liked the older Fae that he spoke with.  _They were easier to talk to. And they never tricked me or tried to._

" _I am curious as to how you still managed to get here,_ " Elvey said lightly. " _And...whatever you do...don't say his name. It can be traced._ "

"I can refer to him as the...pawn in command?" Slade smirked. That actually got some snickers and nods of agreement. "Very well. You could say that...sometimes...pawns can also have neutral stand-offs. I know my place. I also know his place. He doesn't like the fact that I know him that well already. So, not only did he agree to my idea to scope out a possible test site...he wanted me gone for a while. I think he knows that I am the one causing turmoil in the ranks."

" _Get over yourself. He's not that smart,_ " Elvey smirked back. " _He just got pissed that you can figure him out. He doesn't like you for that, but he can't argue. What his masters want, they get. No questions asked. All of them are like spoiled toddlers._ "

" _Speaking of spoiled children,_ " Tintagel sighed at Ambrosia's kicking belly. He had to move to her side to rub a hand over it gently. " _He wants attention now. We have a place to get to._ "

"I doubt I can accompany you?" Slade asked. Ambrosia seemed to wince.  _The enthrallment was getting stronger._  Robin narrowed his eyes with hatred, but Elvey still held him back.

" _No,_ " Elvey said flatly. " _You will be followed._ "

"True," Slade nodded slightly.

" _Don't worry about looking for an arena for the tests. We will cover that,_ " Tintagel said calmly. Just as the meeting was drawing to a close, the impossible happened.

"There you are! I was looking for you," Sinlus smirked, as he appeared. Then he saw Ambrosia and the condition she was in. Elvey's cool demeanor just took a turn for the worst, but it was Robin that forced him to back down. This was now a very bad situation.  _Both of their mortal enemies were there, and they were forced to rely on each other for mental control!_  Ambrosia could only gasp at the cold gaze on her, and her mithril crystal pendant shimmered with complete warning. Jericho was given full control, and he stood in front of his wife quickly. Beast Boy was next to help with that. Elvey and Tintagel could not reveal themselves to Sinlus yet.

"Leave. Now," Jericho ordered. His crown flickered with the same warning. Raven's robe turned a stark black again and showed off its rage. Herald and Jinx were quick to add to the threat.

"I was only looking for what was mine," Sinlus glowered. "I will leave with what is mine."

"Not yours by choice," Slade growled lightly. "I shall return with you of my own agreement."

"Join sides in full, too?" Sinlus grinned.

"No," Slade said bluntly. That got a scowl from the half-Fae, but he vanished with Slade to stay out of the threat zone. He was warned by the Unseelie Court to not hamper with Ambrosia. As much as he still wanted her, he had to keep to his vow or face the wrath of the Court.

"I need to go home for a bit," Ambrosia said softly. Robin was strained to his limit now. He had to calm down fast, and there was only one way to do that.

"Guys, I'll be at Elvey's castle shortly. Cyborg, we wanted to improve her chair a bit, too. She needs more padding for her back," Robin managed to say calmly. "Aelfric needs me, too, so..."

"We get it. Help her out," Cyborg nodded. "I'll get some stuff for the chair. I could see about modifying it at Elvey's place."

"Thanks. Okay, Titans. If you want to help at Elvey's castle, you're all more than welcome to," Robin smiled. Hot Spot nodded, and various Titans got warped away with Herald's help. When Starfire looked at him with worry, he gave a warm smile. "I'll meet you at Elvey's castle, okay?"

"Will you be you?" she asked softly. At the kiss she got, she blushed.

"I will," he promised. She smiled and flew off to see what she could do to help the others. When Robin looked back over to see her warm, approving smile, he could only sigh. He was starting to hate to share his affection with another. Jericho could only grimace. Beast Boy still had a protective instinct over Ambrosia, but the others were gone. Now Robin could be himself.

"Robin?" Ambrosia frowned at the look that went over his face. Tears actually fell from his mask at the stress he had to endure. He was at his breaking point. He was able to force himself to move to her side to collapse to his knees and rest his face against her belly.

"It's just...difficult...my Queen..." he whispered. Then he winced at the kick he got to his forehead. "Cut me some slack!"

At another kick, he found himself smiling. His son knew how to make him feel better.

"Just ease up, Robin," Jericho sighed. "The time is closing in for all of this to be over soon."

"Not fast enough," he muttered. Ambrosia rested a hand in his hair to help soothe him a bit more. The tactic worked, and he was calmed down. "Okay. I can think again."

"That was a close call," Beast Boy frowned. "Dude, you almost snapped!"

"Tell me about it," Robin agreed. "All right. I can think again. I can move again. I'm good."

"Good," she smiled. "This chair really does need more padding!"

"Let's get that fixed first," Jericho nodded. With that decision made, they went to the Tower to get the chair upgraded before their trip to Elvey's castle.


	49. Chapter 49

While Ambrosia's chair was getting upgraded to become softer and far more workable, Raven was deep in thought in her room. Her robe wanted to try something, and she was skeptical. Very skeptical. She was worried, too. She didn't know what would happen.  _It wanted to gain a type of form for me._ She was a touch fearful about it, and it knew this, too.

It knew that she was deceived by another inanimate object, and that was a book. There was only one main difference between her robe and the book. Her robe was far more involved in her life than a book. Her robe was a teacher and a protector. It wanted her to keep that mindset.

"I'm going to be looked for soon. What did you have in mind to try?" she asked out loud. At the mental suggestion of meditation, she nodded. "Remember. I'm keeping an eye on you!"

A mental chuckle was all she could feel. Sighing to herself, she settled on a small purple pillow that she used for mental focus work. Getting comfortable, she closed her eyes and relaxed. The next thing she saw almost had her snap out of it.

"Hello, Raven," a noble, youthful tone greeted her warmly. She wasn't staring at a teenager. She wasn't staring at a robe. This was a tall, slender, youthful Fae man with near floor-length hair the color of pure spun gold. The only thing keeping the long locks back from his face were his intensely pointed ears. His eyes were as blue as Ambrosia's, but a couple shades lighter in cat-like slants. His face was long and narrow, but that's how most Fae features tended to be. Even his nose had a touch of length, but it was done in a rather elegant way. The way his eyebrows were set almost made him look like he was perplexed in thought, but that was just how they were.

The robes he wore were stark white with a velvety black trim that slightly exposed his pale chest. A sash with matching trim color was bound around his waist. It seemed to part at his hips to flare out, but he wore white pants and velvety black trim that had a slightly baggy look for comfort. His boots appeared to be made of the same white cloth and black trim, too, but had a slender look to them to keep them stylish. At his look of solid amusement, she finally came around.

"You're...a man?" she asked.

"It's what your mental focus was for me. I went with it. Would you prefer me to be a woman?" he asked with a soft chuckle. "I could do that to keep this from being so awkward."

"No!" she said quickly. "As much as it would be a bit more proper, um...no. Stay like this."

"I guess you approve?" he said with a warm smile and sat in the plush chair that appeared for him. "Anyways, for all that it's worth, I'm glad that you agreed to try this."

"I'm still skeptical of all this," she admitted. She sat down in another chair that appeared, and he could only nod in agreement with her. "And, I know you told me your name already."

"Actually, it's not my 'true' name. It's a name that I gave you to help teach you further. To build up your confidence in me. I know, I know! You should have learned my proper name by now. That's instinctive, though. To not give it until you're ready," he shrugged. "Or to wait until I know you are ready to receive it."

"Wait, you mean you gave me a fake name?!" she gaped.

"I did," he frowned and sighed. "I wanted you to open up to me more first. To accept me even more than just being a robe."

"Well, I don't want to call you by a fake name. Especially if you look like this."

"I wouldn't recommend it. Spiderspit isn't a very nice name, either. I just figured you'd relate from the stuff I was made from."

"Well, it worked. Did you want me to call you Robe instead?" she asked.

"You could," he grinned softly. "I've taken a liking to it."

"It wouldn't be feasible, though. I'll still call you that around others, of course. But, like this...well...you get the idea," she frowned. "I deserve to know your true name."

"Let's see how this goes first," he suggested. "If everything works out, I may be able to give you my true name at long last. As you know, names hold power."

"And bonding."

"Yes."

"All right. I'll run with it. And I forgive you for giving me a fake name. For now."

"Thank you," he nodded. He did grin a bit at her with a slightly sheepish look.

"Now, I do have a question for you, Robe."

"Ask and I shall answer."

"Are other robes able to do this?"

"I actually doubt that," he said softly. "As you know, I was the very first robe created. Because of that, I was the most, um, experimental. To put it lightly. I am something that shouldn't really exist. I could rival being a crown. I am something that has a consciousness. I should not exist."

"Then how did you get to be locked up in Ambrosia's spare closet?"

"It was King Elvey's idea, really," he smiled. "I've been handed down for over five thousand years, Raven. King Elvey knew how powerful I was right away. Just by putting me on to see if I would fit with him, he knew. When he removed me from his shoulders, he said this. 'This robe is not meant for any, save one. That one will not be here for a bit more time still.' Even Queen Esmiralda confirmed what he said. It was decided to keep me safely locked away. That the time would come for me to...eventually find you. I think most of the reason why I accepted none other was because of me, too."

"Why is that?"

"I didn't want to just be seen as an artifact of power," he admitted. "I wanted to be respected. To be understood in a way that was beyond just being clothing. You have that kinship with artifacts. The moment I slipped onto your shoulders, I felt...elation. That I had finally found my match. That the long wait was over at last. Yes, you care for me like you should as a cloth with respected power. But, you treat me as an equal, too. That is what I was searching for in a wearer. It's what I truly needed."

"I know I wanted something like that, too," she smiled. "A mentor and brother figure. Much like how Elvey is to Robin."

"I sensed that," he agreed.

"I also wanted companionship," she winced. He gazed at her softly. "It's why I was hesitant on doing this. There's a part of me that's afraid."

"That I would abuse you like that other one did."

"Yeah."

"Raven, don't even think about that," he said with a shake of his head. "If I knew what was happening to you, and if I was with you, I would have stepped in to stop it."

"I know," she said with a small nod. "And Beast Boy does make it a bit better now and then. When he isn't pulling one of his stunts, that is."

"But, he tries," he chuckled.

"Yeah. He does try," she smiled.

"I also feel that I owe you a bit of a debt," Robe said softly.

"Why?"

"If it wasn't for your brilliant idea to give him a book, I would still be locked away and forgotten in a storeroom closet. We would never have met," he whispered.

"I know," she said and looked away. There was a part of her that was longing to explore the mind of this intelligent creature in front of her. There was also the other part of her that felt resentment that she could be used again. Robe sensed this and could only understand. "I think...I like you better...as just my robe. I mean...this is nice...but..."

"You have no reason to fear me, Raven," he said. "I could be your ancestor."

"So could that other one."

"Don't compare me to a miserable pile of plant matter!" Robe scoffed. That got her giggling. "At least you know where I am! Granted, that dragon dealt a blow to your heart and your innocence. I would do no such thing! You have my vow."

"But...how do I know that?" she shivered. Her jaw dropped when he stood up, strode over to her with a few short steps and pulled her out of the chair to hug her.

"With my vow, I give you my name," he said with a soft trembling of his own. "My true name. It's of the Dwarven tongue, and it means Protector of Light. My name...is..."

"Yes?" she was now shivering as hard as he was. He bent his face to her ear to whisper it.

"Tyrell Earthclan. Do not say my name to others. This is for only you to know. I will protect you for the rest of your life, Raven. You sampled the food of the Fae. You will live much longer than intended. It's fine. I will never betray you. I will never lead you astray. There is so much that I have witnessed in my long life. I want to share my memories with you. I want to do so much more..."

"But...you're my robe..." she whimpered.

"Out there, I am. But here...in your mind like this..." he smiled and gently lifted her chin up to have her look at him. "I'm just like you. Lost without a path. We can both travel on it together."

"Beast Boy was taking a liking to me."

"That's fine. He can like you out there. But, in here, this is where I will be."

"And you won't betray me?"

"Raven," he sighed and squeezed her. "I just gave you my true name. All you have to do is say it. Then whisper a command after it. I will have to obey whatever wish you request. In my means, of course. I can't just conjure up currency or make you ultra-powerful. You get the idea."

"I do," she said with a soft giggle. "And...I have to admit that Tyrell Earthclan sounds much better than Spiderspit. It has a nobler ring to it."

"What do you ask of me?" he suddenly asked her. She blinked at his question. Then she remembered.  _I just said his name. This was an instinctive response to hearing his name._ At the loyal, waiting gaze that met her eyes, she knew there was only one thing she could possibly request.  _Would it be a mistake?_  Only time would tell.

"I would...like you to...kiss me..." she said softly. "the way we both need it."

"Granted," he said softly and planted his mouth on hers. It was a deep and intense kiss. It was unlike anything she had ever expected. When he finally pulled away, his eyes blinked a couple times before realization set in. "Wow."

"Yeah. Tell me about it!" she said with a nervous chuckle.

"I wouldn't go blabbing about this, though."

"Why would I do that?!" she scowled softly. He laughed and squeezed her.

"You'd best wake up. I'm sure they are almost done with Queen Ambrosia's chair," he sighed.

"I just have one last question."

"Okay. What is it?"

"How do you know so much?"

"Ah. I'll tell you the simple and short version. I can listen through the weaves of Fae energy. It was how I was first created. When they noticed how powerful I was, and that I wasn't going to even accept my Dwarven creator as my bond link, they wanted to destroy me. But, considering how much time and effort was put into making me, they opted to put me away instead. They also learned from mistakes through me, and they used my structure for future robes. Then I was handed down through generations, and, eventually, given as a wedding gift to Esmiralda's family line. That's pretty much my history through the ages. I'm a grandfather figure to other robes. I became a collector of knowledge. I'm just happy that I can finally share this knowledge with someone else."

"I'm surprised you didn't appear as an old man," she giggled. "Or even a Dwarf."

"Want me to?" he snickered.

"No!"

"Then don't ask! Besides, Elves and Fae have a much better appearance than old men or Dwarves. Dwarves tend to look worse than old men!" he grinned. She giggled softly, and they gazed at each other again before he sighed. He could sense she was being looked for. "You need to awaken now. Don't worry. If you need to see me, just close your eyes."

"I may do that a bit more than usual now," she admitted.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he smiled warmly and hugged her, as she woke up.


	50. Chapter 50

Raven was blushing when she finally emerged from her meditation. She was still a touch peeved that her robe gave her a false name, but she let it slide at the small squeeze she felt from it.  _Should I start saying that my robe was a guy?_ At the mental suggestion of ' _no_ ', she smiled and nodded. _In time, it may be possible. Right now, it was best to play it out that I have my robe. A silent and wary guardian that helped me and protected me against the unknown Fae forces._  At the knock on her door, she sighed. _It was time to go to Elvey's castle._  Even her robe wanted to go to learn what he could.

She seemed to sigh again. She had a lot of mixed feelings now. At another knock on the door, she reluctantly got up to answer it. On seeing Beast Boy there with his usual cheesy grin, she gave a small smile back. Beast Boy was a touch surprised. _She'd usually glare at me._   _Something good must have happened to put her in such a calm state of mind._

"Are ya ready to go?" he asked slowly.

"I am," she nodded. As they walked, he thought a bit. Deciding to go ahead and do something a bit daring, he took in a slightly deep breath for control to act normal.

"Oh, I wanted to ask you something," he said.

"What's that?" she asked, as they walked to the main room.

"Um...if there was a movie you wanted to watch, what would it be? As in...eh...with me. That is. Maybe. I dunno..."

"Wait," she said. Her robe was laughing at her. "Are you asking me out?"

"Maaaybe?" he grinned. She actually blushed a bit. At the impression to do it, she sighed. Her robe did want to know about human culture, and this would help.

"It can't be a horror flick. It has to be tasteful. And, it has to be something that can hold my attention longer than the title screen," she said. He sighed and hung his head down. Then he got an idea.

"Okay!" he beamed and looked at her. "You pick the movie. I'll just go along with it."

"And you won't complain at all?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Nope!" he smiled. "You have my word!"

"I'm holding you to that. If you complain even once, then you will punish yourself by letting Cyborg beat you in your next racing game. For an entire hour."

"WHAT?!" he gaped. "But...but..."

"It's  _if_ you complain," she smirked. Her robe gave the mental image of taking a controller with her to dangle in front of him to remind him of his agreement. That had her grinning.

"Dude, what's with the grin?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm going to bring something to remind you of what will happen if you mess up. You can blame Robe for giving me the idea," she snickered.

"Robe?! Oh, man! Now I know it hates me!" he grumbled.

"Nah. Robe just likes to see how well you own up to what you say," she chuckled. He stuck out his tongue at the garment. The feeling of his tongue getting mildly zapped was felt as a retort. He squealed and grabbed his tongue in retaliation. That had her laughing.

"Ith like habing a babythidder!" he managed to mumble, as he massaged his tongue.

"If you want to see it like that, go ahead," she chuckled again and saw the others by the small indoor gazebo. Ambrosia's chair was now like a recliner with a back warmer built in. She was mildly dozing off now. Jericho and Robin were standing next to her and keeping at least one hand on her belly. Aelfric was in a very demanding mood.

"Hello, Raven," Jericho nodded respectfully. "Good to see you and Robe, too. Looking forward to our little adventure?"

"Definitely," she grinned softly. "Oh. Um...can I talk to Tintagel and Elvey? Maybe even Esmiralda? Not now, but soon? Well...maybe it should be now..."

" _We will have a dream training tonight,_ " Elvey said when he emerged. " _We can all talk then._ "

"Well...it's important," Raven frowned. At this Jericho rose a brow. Tintagel was clearly present now. At his nod, she sighed. "I'm sorry, Robe. I have to. Tintagel...Robe was able to become a form for me. Through meditation."

" _What?_ " Elvey asked.

" _I second that!_ " Tintagel blinked.

" _I am not surprised,_ " Esmiralda said softly from Ambrosia's exhausted form. " _Robe is very ancient. Likely one of the first ones, correct?_ "

"Robe is, actually, the very first one," Raven said. Now they all looked at her.

"Wait," Beast Boy frowned.

"I know, Beast Boy. It's fine," Raven said with a smile. "It's why I'm telling you all now."

"I can understand that," Robin nodded. Then Elvey took over and said, " _I would suggest to have Robe attempt to become the form it appeared to you as in our next dream training. The knowledge that it holds could benefit all of us._ "

"He agrees," Raven smiled. Then she blinked at what she just said. Beast Boy gaped.

"Your robe is dude?!" Cyborg asked.

"Is he cute?!" Starfire beamed now. Beast Boy was frowning. Then he suddenly paused when Raven moved to cover him with her robe.

"Close your eyes and focus. He wants to try something really quick. Okay?" Raven muttered.

"Wha?!" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"Just trust me!" she sighed. As much as he wanted to be afraid of feeling pins and needles, he actually felt a calming sensation around him. "We don't have much time."

"Fine," he muttered. When he closed his eyes, he saw Robe's apparition. He was standing behind Raven as a protective stand-point. He was proving that he meant her no harm.

"Good. You can see me. And hear me, apparently," Robe chuckled.

"Dude..." Beast Boy gaped.

"Beast Boy, you have my word that I will do nothing to foul Raven's mindset. I am to help her in this form as a teacher and a mentor. And, yes, I will be appearing in various dream trainings to teach everyone what I know. And, don't worry. I'll make sure that Raven is a touch nicer to you, though."

"Just me?" he grinned.

"Well, if you plan to start dating her," Robe grinned back. That got a small blush from Raven. "Just always think that she's chaperoned."

"Dude, come on!" Beast Boy grumbled. Robe laughed softly and had Raven remove the cloak from around Beast Boy. "Okay. He's not that bad."

"Of course, he isn't," Raven smiled softly. "He just wants to be for me like how Elvey is to Robin. A mentor and a close friend."

"Good," Robin smiled. "Ah, we will get to meet him, too?"

"At the next dream training," Raven nodded. Jericho was very curious. Tintagel was just amazed at how powerful her robe truly was. Elvey was going to be very curious of what was going to happen at the next training. But, it was when they finally got to Elvey's castle that the real adventure started.

They walked away from the gazebo that overlooked the new hanging gardens. The Fae were hard at work to restore everything back to rights. Robin gave a soft sigh at Elvey's gaze around the place.  _The castle was almost back to the way it was._  Ambrosia placed a hand over his with a soft smile.

"Guys, I need to check on something for Elvey. Jericho and Ambrosia need to come with me. I'll meet you all in the library. Okay?" he smiled.

"You will not be long?" Starfire asked.

" _No. I just need to check on a grave,_ " Elvey said softly. She remembered where Aethelwyne was buried, and she nodded. The others could only agree with him, and they split up.

"What's wrong?" Ambrosia frowned. He said nothing, but guided them to the slender tomb. As he stood over the statuette of the deceased Queen, he tensed.

" _I should not have married her,_ " Elvey whispered in confession.

" _What?!_ " Tintagel asked from Jericho.

" _Elvey, dear?_ " Esmiralda now asked, as Ambrosia was able to adjust the seat to sit up.

" _If I had known how I was going to treat her..._ " Elvey hissed out with clenched fists. " _She deserved so much better than the lack of support I gave her! I only married her to be with you...Essi..._ "

" _Elvey..._ " Esmiralda said softly. She was able to gently move her daughter's body to walk over carefully and rest her hands on his shoulders. " _She could have spoken with you at any time. She voiced no concerns. In truth...the fault was purely hers in the end._ "

" _But...Essi...I never loved her..._ " he said with a cringe. Now Jericho stared at him in shock. " _I thought I did. I cared deeply for her. But...I never loved her..._ "

" _I know,_ " Esmiralda sighed. _He was rambling. Something else was going on._

" _You knew?_ " he asked with a touch of surprise.

" _Darling...you were life-mated to me. Even to Tintagel. Yes, the marriage gave you Aelfric as a son. But...you couldn't give over your heart, anyways. You know this._ "

" _I..._ " Elvey shivered.

" _Elvey, dear, why did you really come here? To what purpose do you hope to achieve?_ " she asked gently. " _What is going on in that mind of yours?_ "

" _I want to move her tomb away from my castle. To where she will have better care,_ " he said.

" _Are you serious?_ " Tintagel asked.

" _I do. I don't deserve to have her body rest here. Not while my heart isn't hers. She deserves more,_ " Elvey swallowed. " _And Aelfric isn't here to cement the fact that she needs to stay. He is being reborn, and his original body was burned to honor him. I...also don't want her desecrated again. I know it won't happen...but I'm not really here anymore..._ "

Ambrosia's mithril crystal pendant shimmered, and Jericho was quick to look over to study it. At what it was suggesting, he voiced out, "The pendant is saying to let Earth hold her tomb for you. Earth will honor her body for all eternity."

" _Yes. Please..._ " Elvey nodded deeply. " _She can have that honor. To be kept safe by an elemental would be the best thing to do._ "

They all backed away at the shimmering her star sapphire pendant now did. As much as they all had one, it was always hers that seemed to do the summoning. But, it was only because they would only call on the Earth Elemental for emergency aid. All her mithril crystal pendant did now was relay the decision of what had to be done and the importance of it.

Within seconds, the ground trembled slightly, and the grave gently sunk into the earth. What appeared in its place was a delicate, mossy waterfall spring glade. It would complement the castle, offer refreshingly sweet water, and remind many that there used to be something of importance there.

"It is done," Ambrosia said softly.

"Thank you," Robin said for Elvey. His mentor had to regain himself from crushing blow he had to deal with all over again. "Elvey will be fine. He just has to recollect his thoughts."

"He'll have to. We still need to do some research. He would know where to look," Jericho said.

" _I know. Just...give me a moment..._ " Elvey muttered through Robin. Ambrosia still kept her hands on his shoulders. Robin closed his eyes and took several deep, calming breaths. The gentle sounds of the new waterfall actually helped with that. " _Okay. Ambrosia, please lay back down in the chair._ "

"I can do that," she nodded. Both Jericho and Robin had to help her settle back into it, though. Once she was comfortable, it was time to head into the library.

" _You are sure you're all right?_ " Tintagel muttered through Jericho.

" _As well as I can be, brother,_ " Elvey muttered back. " _As well as I can be._ "

But, even as they walked into the castle, Tintagel knew him all too well. At this, he seemed to glare and growl out, " _Don't lie to me!_ "

" _What more is there for me to say?!_ " Elvey retorted back. Ambrosia cleared her throat when Esmiralda came out to console them both.

" _Dearests, stop walking. Sit down,_ " she ordered lightly when they passed by some chairs. After they did that, she sat up a bit. " _Elvey, dear. Stop your nonsense now! We are about to meet up with our allies. If they see you moping about over a just decision, then they will question young Robin. He doesn't deserve that! So quit it!_ "

" _But..._ " Elvey winced.

" _No! I won't tolerate it,_ " she said sternly. " _Aethelwyne's body is now set down to rest with honor. With utmost respect. Don't grieve for her anymore. You gave her some peace this way. Her body is safe. And you did honor her by going straight to her grave to fix it when it was destroyed. Do not dwell on this issue. We need to see about researching Unseelie souls now. You cannot have any doubts in your mind! They will hear us, if you do!_ "

" _You're right, Essi,_ " he sighed.

" _And, Tintagel, if he starts to relapse, smack him!_ " she ordered. That had Jericho grinning softly with amusement. " _It will get the others to laugh and lighten the mood._ "

" _You are telling him to hit me?!_ " Elvey gaped.

" _I could punch you,_ " Tintagel grinned.

" _Enough, children,_ " Esmiralda giggled softly. " _Our daughter will need to eat when we get to the library. So, we need to move on._ "

" _Of course, dear,_ " Tintagel nodded.

" _As you say,_ " Elvey said with a small smile.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you," Jericho finally said when he had control back.

"Shut up," Robin smirked. "You always want to hit me!"

"It's fun," he shrugged. "Can you blame me?"

"Enough, please!" Ambrosia said with weary exhaustion. She yawned and winced at a sharp kick. _The hunger was setting in._ When they finally got to the library, a freezer compartment was opened under the chair for her to start eating her continuous tub of ice cream.

"I felt a vibration," Raven said when she walked over to them. Jericho was able to tell them what happened with Aethelwyne's tomb. They were all silent for a moment as though to pay their own respects. After that, they had to search for books.

"So, what kind are we looking for?" Beast Boy asked to break the silence.

" _Any that look very old. Like this,_ " Elvey said, as Robin picked up a large, heavy tome.

"They all look like that," Cyborg frowned.

" _Not much else to say,_ " Elvey grinned. " _Start reading!_ "

"Awww," Beast Boy moped.

"It's something to do," Raven winked at him. Beast Boy blinked, grinned, and tackled a shelf of books. Jericho kept a hand on his wife's belly, as he flipped through some pages. Jinx and Herald were quick to find them to start assisting. When other Fae started to appear, Tintagel took over to tell them what they were doing. They were quick to assist. News quickly spread, and a small crowd was carefully moving about the library now.

Starfire couldn't read the Fae language yet, so she helped bring down books from the tallest shelves. She also helped to put them back, too. Cyborg was scanning through them quickly to store up his own database for personal references. Beast Boy was assisting with Ambrosia's help. She was able to mentally read to him what he was looking at. Raven was getting brief history lessons from Robe, as she read. There were even some excerpts in a few books that were incorrect. Robe would enjoy pointing those out when the time was right.

"I think I found something!" a young Fae girl said.

"Oh?" Jericho asked. She brought over the dusty tome and pointed to what she saw. "Hmm. This is close! Very close! It says here that, should an Unseelie soul seek redemption, it may be possible to be reborn. But, we don't know if Orin was thinking of redemption at all."

"I don't see why he would," Ambrosia frowned.

"I mean, if he willingly shook hands with the enemy, then I don't see how he could get redemption," Robin snorted. "On top of that, he willingly acted out with the Unseelie by trying to harm Aelfric."

"I think there is more," Raven said when she came over. "Robe is starting to recall something. From what I'm getting, he remembers that Orin tried to cause stress to Ambrosia one last time. It's doubtful that he can even possibly come back just for doing that."

"He?" Jinx blinked.

"Ah...yeah..." Raven smiled. "My robe is a guy. To an extent."

"Really?" Herald grinned.

"You'll meet him at the next dream training," Raven said.

"Did he tell you his name?" Jinx asked now.

"He did. And I'm not blabbing it. I promised that I wouldn't," she said sternly.

"I just wanted to make sure," Jinx giggled softly.

" _I don't think a dream training can wait,_ " Robin said when Elvey came through. " _We need to speak with Robe now. He knows things that may be crucial in our research._ "

"Well..." Raven frowned. She blinked at a thought she got and walked over to Ambrosia. "Can your mithril crystal make an area for him to appear? Just for a little bit?"

"Like a hologram?" Ambrosia thought. Her pendant shimmered happily.

"It can do it. About an hour," Jericho translated.

"That should be plenty," Raven nodded. When the room started to glow a soft blue, her robe wavered to make a projection. At the regal Fae man that appeared, they all seemed to drop their jaws.

"Hello! I'm Raven's robe. Please, call me Robe," he winked. "I'm not very solid, but that's fine. What all did you want to ask?"

" _You are a very powerful robe,_ " Elvey grinned. " _I knew you were._ "

"I know. And, you should know that her pendant could do the same thing for you as it's doing for me," Robe grinned. Robin's jaw dropped. Now Jericho seemed to blink with disbelief. "Likely not as long, since it would be for a larger group of people, but it could. Anyways, questions?"

" _Yes,_ " Elvey said and cleared his throat. " _What do you know about Unseelie souls?_ "

"Okay," Robe said. "From what I know, once a soul is claimed, it's dead. But, there has been one instance that I've witnessed the soul become free. The soul was willing, at first. When it realized what it was doing, it gained second thoughts. When it was released, it was able to be reborn. What's more was that it remembered everything the Unseelie Court had it do. It became a touch wiser, but none the better, either. You may know this...now Fae man...as the Elder Foster."

"Wait...are you serious?!" Jericho gaped.

"Yes. He was, indeed, a Fae King long ago. But, he gave himself over to Unseelie. This was five hundred years before his rebirth. However, on being reborn as a former Unseelie, he was unable to reclaim his lost power. It was a punishment. To this day he has been trying to get his Kingship and powers back. And he still has a touch of that vile taint. You saw how he disrespected us at the grove! It's also why I was so mistrusting of him and on guard. That is a part of his taint. He is eternally marked by Unseelie, and his true potentials are locked. There is nothing he can do," Robe frowned. "Can the Unseelie touch him? No. They rejected him. He has lost his keep with them. Can we aid him? No. To do that would give the Unseelie another trump card to possibly reclaim him. He is best left as he is now."

" _I never would have guessed that,_ " Elvey thought.

"Exactly. So, from what I know, any that are used and freed by the Unseelie have their magic cut from them almost completely. I sensed the Unseelie taint and made the connection. I didn't want to alarm anyone. And, Raven, yes, I know. I kept it from you, too. I didn't want another fuss raised. His wardrobe was blinding enough!" Robe sighed.

"Tell me about it," Raven shuddered. Robin could only crack a grin at the memory.

"So, you think that Orin cannot be free?" Starfire frowned. "To be reborn?"

"I am afraid not," Robe said gently. "He attacked Queen Ambrosia far too many times. He tried to make her suffer one last time. The only way we will know is if he is reborn. There is no way for me to tell. And, if he is, he will be a shadow of his former self and forever marked by Unseelie."

"What would happen, if our enemy is reborn?" Cyborg asked. Robe knew who was being spoken of. The look that Robe gave now was very grim.

"Then we are all in dire trouble," Robe said carefully. "We cannot let that happen."

"What do we do, if his soul is freed, anyways?" Jinx asked.

"Crystal locks!" Robe said quickly. "We can make some!"

" _Crystal...oh..._ " Elvey grinned. " _I see..._ "

" _Almost like dream catchers, but they are made with moon crystals,_ " Tintagel mused. " _I think we talked about it before, actually._ "

"We will need a very powerful one made to keep around Queen Ambrosia," Robe said. "However, in order to even make them, we need to find a Dwarven Master of the Forge. If there are crowns still being made, then King Elvin, or King Warren, could point us in the right direction. We don't have much time. Those tests will be upon us within the week. We need to act now."

"Right!" Robin said when he took over. "Titans! Allied Fae! You know what we need to do!"

"I will contact His Majesty!" a Fae man said. "I am under King Warren."

"I shall contact King Elvin. Queen Gelsey is my dear friend," a Fae woman said.

"We should meet with them soon," Jericho nodded.

"I shall withdraw for now. I may come back out when the meeting happens," Robe said.

"Good," Jericho nodded. "Nice meeting you, though."

"The same," Robe chuckled and vanished. Ambrosia's mithril crystal pendant shimmered down to rest and recover. Raven smiled at the thoughts she got and nodded.

"Let's put these books back," she said to Starfire.

"I can assist!" Starfire beamed and started to help. When the library books were all neatly set back, it was decided to hold a small feast in the castle.

"If there are royal Fae coming, it would be nice," Jericho smiled.

"Now that the castle is nearly rebuilt," Robin agreed. "it would be best."

"We can have various Fae bring their favorite dishes," Ambrosia smiled. "I don't think I should have any human food present. I could get ill."

"What do you guys think?" Robin asked the others.

"I'm up for trying new things! Bring it!" Cyborg grinned.

"Sure. I can do that," Raven nodded.

"We can get pizza, too! And more tofu burgers, and...oh. Right. No human food. Okay. I'll go with whatever they bring," Beast Boy said. Ambrosia had to gently remind him of what happened last time she smelled pizza. He moved to her side to get a soft pat to the top of his head.

"Would zorkaberries be okay?" Starfire asked.

"Um...it should be..." Robin chuckled. "Just don't bring Silkie."

"Okay! I shall bring my delicious treats!" she beamed and flew off to the portal.

"They don't make Ambrosia ill, so it's fine," Jericho chuckled.

"Now I want to see who makes a face first if they try one," Robin grinned. That got Jericho laughing at the thought of it. Ambrosia gave a tired smile and yawned. They wouldn't be surprised if she slept through the whole thing. With how fast Aelfric was growing now, it was just a matter of time for the dangerous part of her pregnancy to truly hit. No one wanted her to lose the pregnancy or die with it.


	51. Chapter 51

They waited until sundown to deliver the message of the small feast. King Warren, King Elvin, and King Ealdun all made sure to be there. Even Queen Gelsey appeared with her husband to share in the elaborate meal. Various dishes were brought by their servants and set down on platters and tableware of gold and silver décor. Golden candlesticks were lit with rose-scented candles to perfume the air. Platters of various meats and Fae dishes were set along various long tables. They used the dance hall as their feast hall for now. They could have used the place the Titans ate at before, but this was for royalty. The dance hall was a much better environment.

Fae instruments were quickly set up to be played in their ancient ways. Ambrosia, Jericho, and Robin were seated at the main table that faced the others. As leaders and royalty Fae, they had to. When King Warren, King Elvin, and Queen Gelsey arrived, they were greeted warmly and led up to the main table. Once they were seated, they spoke out what they ordered. There were plenty of Fae chefs in the castle kitchens now. There were also other Fae that agreed to help serve and cater to many. Quite a few were even thinking of staying in the old castle to become new servants. Any that asked were welcomed to stay and do such if they wanted to.

"King Warren," Jericho nodded.

"King Jericho! Wonderful to be back," he chuckled.

"Oh, Queen Ambrosia! Your pregnancy is doing well?" Queen Gelsey asked.

"Draining. But...it's manageable," Ambrosia chuckled.

"I trust that your King has been in your line of sight?" she smiled.

"I have to be. This pregnancy could kill her, if I'm not," Jericho said with a soft frown.

"What?" the Queen blinked. King Elvin softly whispered to her of what was discovered. Now she paled with complete horror. She had no idea of the intensity of this pregnancy.

"We are doing what we can," Robin smiled. "It's all we can do."

"Don't let him out of your sight!" she snapped. Jericho laughed and could only nod. King Ealdun appeared and was quickly seated after giving his greetings.

"So, what brings us here?" he asked after getting served a heavy plate of food.

"We need to find a Dwarven Master of the Forge," Jericho said, as he started to eat. Ambrosia was able to tuck into her ice cream. Robin ate lightly, but only because Elvey was keeping him attentive to Ambrosia. There were times that he had to help her.

"A Dwarven Master? Well, there's only one left," Elvin thought. "He has been successfully training new apprentices now. We know where to find him."

" _Good. He can help us make a crystal trap to keep Sinlus at bay,_ " Tintagel said when he came forth. " _It's important. Raven's robe gave us the idea. It, or he, I should say, is the very first robe that was made. Yes, I know. We had it stored in our spare closet here._ "

"You're the ones that had that robe?!" Ealdun blinked with surprise. "We were told it was lost!"

" _No. It was given to my family as a wedding gift,_ " Esmiralda giggled lightly. " _You will meet Robe in the next dream training. He holds a wealth of knowledge and is willing to tell us all that we need to know. He knows much of practically everything that happened since his creation._ "

"I can only imagine," King Warren chuckled.

"This fruit is divine!" Gelsey swooned. "Queen Ambrosia, you should try some! I had my cooks prepare this with a touch of honey and various flavors. I think a couple of my chefs wish to stay, too, so you can always request more of this. You simply should try it!"

"Oh?" Ambrosia smiled. It was made from the Fae kitchens, and she was quick to try a slice of apple. She was pleased with the taste, but she kept to her ice cream.

"Who would like some zorkaberries?!" Starfire beamed and held her jar aloft.

"What is that?" Ealdun smiled.

"Berries from her home planet. Very bitter, but not too bad," Robin smiled. "I'll take one!"

"Okay, Robin!" Starfire giggled. At the faces many Titans and Fae made at the taste of one small berry, Ambrosia was quickly giggling with her husband. Much to Elvin's surprise, Gelsey found herself enjoying the berries, and a few more were quickly asked for. "You wish for more? Oh. I am almost out. Maybe I can see if Ambrosia's pendant can make more."

"Her pendant can?" Gelsey smiled.

"She has a sentient mithril crystal pendant," Jericho nodded. "Courtesy of a rather protective Earth Golem. It has been helping Ambrosia keep an abundant amount of ice cream so far."

"It is truly sentient?!" Gelsey gasped. At the shimmering twinkle the pendant gave now, she found herself nodding with respect. Then her jaw dropped at the heap of zorkaberries on her plate. Starfire was only beaming that her jar was neatly filled up again, and she flew off to deliver more berries.

"Eat up, dear," Elvin grinned wickedly. "And, no, I'm not helping you."

"Then I shall take some of these home. Perhaps I'll set one under your pillow, too. They have a very nice smell. A rather strong smell, too," she said. "Maybe they can even cover up your smell..."

"What do you mean by that?!" Elvin asked her.

"Well, I do constantly remind you to bathe when you come home from riding," she smirked lightly. Jericho grinned and bit his tongue to keep from laughing. Robin rose a brow and chuckled. Ambrosia chuckled and yawned. Robin saw this and took away her container before she dropped it. He then adjusted her chair to let her recline more. She was sleeping soon after that.

"Esmiralda was the same way," Ealdun smiled softly.

" _That she was,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho. " _Anyways, how far off is the Dwarven Master?_ "

"We need to go underground, of course," King Elvin said. "My castle is the closest to the Dwarven Master. Just an hour's worth of riding and we're there. He may be asleep by now. Unlike us that are awake at night, he sleeps then. He's awake at dawn, though. Then again, I'm honestly unsure if ever needs sleep! We never stay long enough to find out."

"All right. Is it nightfall now?" Robin asked.

"It is. We have another four hours until dawn," Ealdun said.

"I didn't realize how much sleep I've been losing," he sighed and found himself yawning from the realization. "Okay. Elvey is going to take over. He can control my body so that I can sleep. Even if the others don't come with us, it's fine."

"I'm going with you," Raven said when she appeared behind him. "Robe is insisting. He thinks we should all go. Cyborg could learn some new techniques from the Dwarven Master and show off the cylinder he made. Beast Boy and Starfire need to go, too. They would get mad if they weren't there. So, I'll tell them to get some sleep now. Six hours of sleep is decent. The Dwarven Master will be awake in full by the time we reach him."

"Fine. If you need to sleep, find a room or go back to the Tower. We may as well," Robin nodded wearily. He rubbed Ambrosia's belly as though wishing the baby a small good night. At the small kick he got, he smiled softly and seemed to slump. After another moment, Elvey had full control. " _He was exhausted! Anyways, I'm wide awake. If anyone needs to sleep now to join us in the morning, they need to know. Raven? Can you spread the word, please? Robin is dead asleep right now._ "

"I can do that," Raven nodded. Then she set a book down in front of him. "And Robe wants you to read this. Flip to the page that's lightly creased in the corner."

" _I have to study?_ " he smirked.

"No. You have to read something that was mentioned about you in there that is false," Raven grinned. "Robe found it and wanted me to show you."

" _What?!_ " Elvey gaped. Jericho chuckled and shook his head. He was able to handle the odd sleep hours now. Being a pureblood Fae definitely helped. The page was soon found and read. On seeing this, Elvey was fuming. " _I have never lost a battle in my life! Who wrote this garbage?!_ "

"What battle?" Ealdun frowned.

" _Remember the one where I was trying to claim my own plot of land from a small band of rogue humans? The area that just bordered off the forests of my castle? It was when I was first claiming the hill. The humans tried to stop me several times. Something about me encroaching on their territory. I had actually found the spot first, and they followed me. After a week of arguing and warning notations, I got sick of it. They kept interrupting my night communions to the hill. I finally put them all to sleep and walked away after making them forget about the whole incident. No bloodshed. Very easy._

" _Someone said that I willingly gave up on them. That I told them that they were the stronger and to simply leave me in peace. That all I wanted was the hill, and they could claim the land around it. After begging for a week, they laughed and moved on. Granted, after I got underground, I didn't care what the humans did around the hill. But, hunting was poor, and they left for better land. This passage even states that I gave over treasure to bribe them! I never bribed anyone, and I never begged to get what I wanted! I want to find and confront this author to show the truth of what happened. Either through force or a nice...chat...in a sense. I'm completely irked!_ "

" _True. The only begging you did was with Esmiralda,_ " Tintagel grinned. At the glare Elvey gave now, Tintagel's grin only got wider. Gelsey bit back a laugh and coughed on her water.

"Oh. We know that you put them to sleep," Elvin chuckled. "That's common knowledge to the Fae. That looks like a human author. Maybe one of the humans living with the Fae felt bad and decided to give you a soft spot. Besides, look at how old the books is!"

" _I still don't like how false rumors are said about me,_ " Elvey muttered. Warren gestured for the book and studied the name on the binding.

"I knew the author," Warren chuckled. "He passed on two hundred years ago. He only wrote four of these books. No printing presses, so all were hand-written. And all of the stuff he wrote was total garbage. I can burn this book, if you like?"

" _Please,_ " Elvey said with a nod. " _Three other books?_ "

"I already destroyed them," Warren said. In truth, he was saving the books. The author was one of his dear friends from his past. As much as he told his friend not to write such idiocy, it was done without any regret. Warren only wished to hold onto the books to look at them, laugh, and know that his friend's literature was at least cherished by him. Now that he had all four books, he would be able to find some peace that no more false stories could be spread.

"He was always one to find false books," Gelsey grinned lightly.

"I only like knowing that false tales are removed from our society," Warren said in a mild tone.

" _And let the truth shine through,_ " Tintagel said regally. " _Much of the truth is gone._ "

"True. Aelfdane did contact me for an interview. I did tell him much to educate the new age Fae. I was very surprised at their lack of knowledge," Ealdun frowned.

" _Did you check out that night club?_ " Elvey asked.

"I did. And I was disgusted!" Elvin scowled. "Those new age Fae are nothing like they should be! When they tried to insult me, Gelsey gave one of them nasty body odors for the next year."

"He deserved it!" Gelsey nodded sharply. "He ordered me to remove my crown!"

"I spoke with the manager. Surprisingly, he was also a new age Fae. He vowed that we would have much better service in the future," Elvin smiled. "He hopes to see us again soon."

" _I think that Ambrosia is best left out of it,_ " Elvey said seriously. " _She likes the music, but she's too ingrained in the old ways. She couldn't adapt properly._ "

"I can see how that would be," Warren sighed. He noticed various Titans showing exhaustion. "Well, I must say that this feast was a huge success! You have my praise! I shall accompany you to meet the Dwarven Master in the morning."

"I'll contact you when they show up," Elvin promised.

"I'll be there, too," Ealdun smiled.

"You know," Elvin said. "I do have a couple daughters that are ready for marriage. Princesses, of course. If either of you are interested. You will be coming by, yes?"

"Oh..." Ealdun blinked.

"Well...um..." Warren found himself blushing a bit.

" _Have your daughters presentable,_ " Tintagel said with a wink. " _I'm sure the two of you would love the companionship again. I'm sure you both need it._ "

"Now, see here!" Warren scowled, and Tintagel started laughing hard.

" _They will benefit you,_ " Esmiralda said in a tired whisper from her daughter's sleeping form. " _I would urge you both to do it. There is no reason to remain alone in this world._ "

"Of course, Esmiralda," Gelsey said with sad smile. "They need to be married off, too."

"I'll meet with one of your daughters," Ealdun sighed with defeat.

"I suppose I will, too. Since I will be in the area," Warren chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Good! I will have Raisa and Fayette ready for a meeting with you both," Elvin smiled.

" _And, if there is a wedding or two, expect us there,_ " Elvey smiled warmly. " _Oh, Elvin, do you know the name of the Dwarven Master?_ "

"I do. His name is Durthis. One of the last, but hopefully not for long," Elvin nodded.

" _Like you said, he was training apprentices. Good to know. We'll see you in the early daylight hours,_ " Jericho nodded. After many Titans left with various Fae, Elvey had Robin's body move to help Jericho get Ambrosia to a proper bed. Warren had already taken the offending book with him, much to Elvey's relief. Elvey was still in thought, though.

" _I have to wonder,_ " Elvey said aloud. " _I thought there were more._ "

" _What's on your mind?_ " Tintagel asked.

" _I thought we saw more royalty Fae at the gala,_ " Elvey frowned. " _A Queen in deep green with her King. A couple others, too._ "

" _Well, not all royal Fae can devote such time to us. If something comes up, I'm sure they will step forward to assist. I'd rather deal with a small group of royals than a large one,_ " he said wisely.

" _True. Anyways, shall we rest? Or are you up for a game of chess?_ " Elvey grinned.

" _I'm always up for chess, brother,_ " Tintagel smirked. " _Jericho will rest while we play._ "

" _Is there to be a dream training?_ " he asked.

" _Not tonight, I think. With the meeting of the Dwarven Master coming about, we need everyone to be as well rested as possible. We'll give them all an off night. As much as we shouldn't, I believe it's needed. We'll plan for one tomorrow night._ "

" _Good to know,_ " Elvey nodded, and they closed the bedroom door for the rest of the night to pass by swiftly and silently.


	52. Chapter 52

There may not have been a dream training for the Titans, but Raven was all too happy to finally lay down and rest. The moment she shut her eyes, Robe was standing and waiting for her with a mound of books behind him. The room appeared to be a library in complete appearance, so she was fine with that. She just wasn't expecting how many books she had to read.  _The pile of books easily towered over him and could have filled the library room twice!_ On looking at him with a questioning glance, he chuckled at her. He easily sensed her confusion.

"Raven, there is much you need to know. And we're running out of time. We'll have more time to be lenient after those tests are done. This is too important. I know practically every book in Elvey's library. I simply put what I knew into mental replicas for you to read. I will read with you to increase the knowledge. We have to do this," he said gently.

"I know. I was just...hoping that I could get to know you more," she admitted.

"I don't want you to become too involved in me. I know why you want to do this. Trust me! I do! And it's not that I don't want to do the same. You just need to remember. I'm not an actual male figure. I can give you sensations, but only what you would expect. I can't give you anything in reality," he said softly. "I can't give you a family. I can't make you a mother. I can't do any of that."

"I know you can't," she trembled. He sighed and walked over to her slowly. He placed his hands on her shoulders to have her look into his eyes.

"What's really bothering you, Raven?" he asked. "You can trust me."

"I know I can," she shivered. "It's just...remembering all the bad things that happened..."

"But, a lot of good came of it, too, right?" he smiled. "If those things didn't happen, then you wouldn't be who you are today. Right?"

"True."

"Yes, you want to show that you can be tough. Strong. Independent. But, you also need strong friends to pick you up when you feel that you can't do it anymore. Friends that can challenge your doubts and help you see reason. If it wasn't for those friends, you wouldn't have been able to conquer that which you feared. You wouldn't have been able to triumph over your failures. Watching you learn and grow has been something that I liked to see. I still like to see it. To watch you succeed."

"You do?"

"Oh, yes, Raven! To watch you grow and expand your mind further than what it already is? To know that there's someone out there ready to lend you a helping hand? Yes, I am a mentor to you. I will teach you everything I know and more. But...you can't keep yourself from your friends, Raven. We are just getting to know each other. Don't keep yourself from missing out on what you already have."

"What about Beast Boy?"

"Think of it like this," Robe chuckled. "I can learn what I can do, and what I shouldn't do, from him. I can use him as a role model. I've never dated before! I don't know what to expect. So, think of having a possible relationship with him as a means for me to learn. Will I be able to pick up the slack from what he lacks? It's possible. But, just remember this. There is only so much that I can do for you. I care about you, Raven. Very greatly. I won't see you hurt or suffer. I'll do whatever is in my power to keep that from happening. Just...don't use my name in vain. Certain things I can do. Certain things I want to do. But, if it's too much, there will be things that I simply won't do."

"As you told me before," she nodded. "Um...can the reading wait another night, though? I know that it has to be done, but I really do want to know you better."

He sighed and smiled gently. "Fine. Just for tonight. And only because you do have a point. We do need to know each other a bit better. But, the books are staying where they are. It was tough getting them to sit like that!"

She giggled softly, and he looked over at a wall. A door appeared here, and he opened it to reveal a small sitting room with a roaring fireplace. On the table in front of it was a small tea set ready to be used. She nodded to him, and he helped her sit down in a plush chair. After two hours of sipping tea and chatting about his long life, he looked at the grandfather clock along the wall.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Hmm. Still have a bit of time left," he mused. "No, nothing's wrong. I'm just trying to think of something else we can do. Ah! Do you know how to dance?"

"Me? Dance? Are you kidding?!" she smirked. "I'm never one to dance."

"That needs to change," he mused and rose up from the chair. Glancing at another wall for another door to appear, he gestured for her. Blinking softly, she sighed and got up to join him. When this door opened, she stared in awe at the small ballroom before her. Soft, twinkling lights of various colors lit up the place over a marble-tiled floor. It wasn't as grand as the one in Ambrosia's castle, but the feeling of such splendor was all the same.

"Wow," she smiled.

"As we dance, don't think about it," he chuckled. "Just move on your own."

"I might step on your toes," she warned.

"I'll live," he grinned softly. She blushed and accepted his hand. For an hour he taught her various traditional Fae dances. With all the royal Fae they may be visiting, he had to teach her the dances. It was something she needed to know. She actually started to enjoy herself.

"This is kinda fun!" she chuckled and got twirled.

"If you let yourself enjoy it, anything can be fun," he chuckled back. When he pulled her back to him, the dancing took on a slight change. They were gazing at each other and dancing without thought. It was a slow, close waltz that they did now. It was tender and caring. Almost borderline protective. As the dance finished, he gasped with realization.  _That was our dance._ "Incredible..."

"What dance was that?" she asked.

"Do you remember," he said slowly. "what I told you about Fae dances in general? The...importance that happens with them?"

"How a dance of the heart can be done?" she asked. Then she paused. Now she looked at him with her jaw dropped. "That was...us?!"

"Yes. It was," he trembled slightly. Raven worried her lower lip and finally moved her hands to pull him down to kiss her. He gave in to it easily. He pulled back and sighed. "This was why I also wanted to start your mental training. I knew that it was only a matter of time...that this was building up...that is. I didn't expect it to be so soon."

"What do you mean?" she asked him.

"As much as I want to say that me appearing to you like this was a mistake..."

"It wasn't a mistake," she said and hugged him. "I don't care if you're just my robe out there. I honestly don't. I just...wanted someone to care about me."

"You have those that care about you!" he said and hugged her back.

"And, yeah, I like Beast Boy. But..."

"What?"

"I like you more," she admitted. He winced at that. "I'm not infatuated with you. I care about you, too. It took time for us to talk like this. It took a few weeks for me to understand you. This wasn't some childish game to me. You're not manipulating me, either."

"I could never bring myself to stoop so low," he growled.

"I know I could...teach you a few things," she said with a soft blush. "Not fully...but..."

"Raven!" he said with a dropped jaw. "No!"

"This is my mind. In a way, it's my dream, too," she smirked at him. He looked at her with complete shock. Now she looked at a mirrored wall for a door to appear. Pulling him to it, she opened it up to reveal her bedroom. He let out a hissing sigh of disbelief.

"Raven...we can't. We shouldn't..."

"Would you do it if I said your name?"

"Don't! Don't do that!"

"Then tell me that this isn't what you wanted, too," she said in a slightly stubborn tone. He went speechless and seemed to glare at the ground.  _This was what I wanted._  He knew it all too well.

"Fine," he said with a sigh of defeat. "I just...don't say my name. Don't order me to do this. If I want this to go right, then I want to do this of my own free will. I don't know what all I can do..."

"It would be a first for me, too," she said with a shrug. He found himself smiling with a soft blush. "Neither of us knows what to expect. Right?"

"True."

"We can call this a 'specialized' training dream," she grinned. He gave her a wry look at her beaming smile at him. He found himself laughing.

"Fine. But, you'll have to lead. You do know more, in a way."

"I can do that," she said in a soft whisper. He let her pull his head down to plant another kiss on his mouth. Then he closed the door for the rest of the night to slip away.


	53. Chapter 53

When she woke up, her body was on fire from the pleasure she received. She couldn't believe everything that was able to be done. All she could do was lay back and recover from the barrage of sensations that assaulted her.  _It was true that he couldn't give me a family. But, this would be enough._ As much as she wanted to lie back in her bed, her robe gave a gentle poke for her to move.

"Okay," she sighed. "I'll need a shower, too. I don't think you can join me. At least out here."

At the sensation of a pause for a mild bit of stunned silence, she laughed softly. At a knock on her door, she stretched again and moved to open it. Cyborg was grinning at her.

"Ready to explore new, uncharted regions of the Fae realms?" he asked.

"That I am! But, I need to shower first. I'll grab some breakfast after," she chuckled. He nodded and charged into the kitchen to make sure that Beast Boy wasn't there first. She sighed and managed to shower and change into a fresh outfit without incident. When she put her robe back on, she mused aloud, "Do you even get dirty? Maybe you need a bath, too."

Now she found herself laughing from the tickling sensation she got. Her robe was enchanted to keep from getting dirty and containing weird smells. She pet along the inside of the cloth and moved to the main room to get something to eat. Of course, Robin and Jericho weren't there yet. Ambrosia had to be tended to. Starfire was waving at her from where she was eating. Silkie was in her lap and devouring a whole plate of fresh cooked bacon.

"Hey! Now I have to make more!" Cyborg scowled at the caterpillar. Silkie only belched in his face with a toothy grin. Raven managed to swallow down the laugh she had and settled at a table.

"Too bad we cannot take Silkie with us," Starfire frowned. "I am sure that he would like to see new places, too! What do you think?"

"I don't know how he would react to Fae food. The honey seems okay. Maybe it would be all right if we fed him honey when he got hungry," Raven mused. "It would keep him sleeping."

"That's right, huh? And where's BB? I thought he would have been here by now," Cyborg frowned. "It's not like him to keep me from cooking."

"True," Raven frowned and brought out her communicator. When she saw Robin's face, she asked, "Where is Beast Boy? He's not eating with us. Do you know where he is?"

"Oh, he's here. He wanted to read more books with us as a dragon. He thinks it's important with all the Fae we'll be meeting up with. And we have to meet with that Dwarven Master today, too. Make sure that Cyborg has his cylinder ready. Oh! Have him take pictures of his forge. It's possible, a long shot, though, that he could become mildly apprenticed. Elvey was thinking about it. We'll show off the crown he made for Jericho as a duplicate. That is something we can do," he said. "We should even have Esmiralda's fake crown, too."

"I'll let him know," she nodded.

"I heard it! And I'll do that after I eat," Cyborg grinned and began to demolish the mound of cooked sausage he made. The communication was dropped after the agreement to meet in Ireland was done. Robin was busy soothing an irritated unborn child in the form of belly rubs while Ambrosia ate her ice cream. Beast Boy had just finished reading every book that was brought to the castle.

"I think I shall see what libraries are available," Beast Boy mused in a smaller dragon form. "I feel that it may be needed. I simply cannot get enough knowledge!"

"Just be careful of what you read," Jericho chuckled. "Some books are not meant to be opened or read. It's a known fact."

"True," Beast Boy sighed and thought about Raven's book. "Maybe I could burn certain books to ashes. I wouldn't mind doing that."

"But, how would the owner of the book feel?" Robin smiled. Beast Boy snorted smoke and grumbled. "Trust me. I know which book you're talking about."

"I would hope so," he grumbled again.

"We have a place to be," Ambrosia whispered softly with exhaustion. "We have less than a week for the tests to start. We need to move now."

"That we do," Jericho nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips. Her belly was even larger than it was from only yesterday. _Aelfric was growing by leaps and bounds._  She yawned and sighed when the heated massage was activated on the chair. The mithril crystal pendant at her throat shimmered and flickered. Jericho studied it now, and smiled. "Okay. Yes, we will let the Dwarven Master see you, too."

It shimmered again and pulsed to let a large charge escape and get soaked up by the crystals around it. Ambrosia sighed with relief. Then it pulsed out again for Jericho to study.

"It's a bit talkative today," Robin smiled.

"And this isn't good talk, either," Jericho sighed. "Elvey, can you go to your library?"

" _Why?_ " Elvey asked when he came through Robin.

"The pendant feels that it may not be giving out enough. We may need to request the help of another sliver. Actually," Jericho thought and moved to his star sapphire pendant. He called the Earth Elemental, and he had Ambrosia's chair follow him outside to the garden. Robin had to follow, and Beast Boy trotted behind them in his dragon form.

Two large, sapphire eyes peered up from the ground now to regard Jericho. A deep purring was given at the sight of Ambrosia, but her pendant flickered and twinkled with its talk. The elemental understood this easily. It was now very concerned. Its mouth now rose up from the ground a bit to make walking into easier, and its golden lined teeth opened up wide.

" _I can run in quickly,_ " Elvey said. " _Aelfric, I'll be right back. I'm doing something to help you._ "

A small kick was given.  _This was understood._  Robin nodded and trotted down into the opened mouth cave. It was rare for the elemental to appear like this anywhere else, but this was for Ambrosia. He moved swiftly down the tunnels. His pendant guided him easily and shielded him from the raw Fae energy that surrounded him. He made his way to the stone heart that held the four mithril crystals. When he walked up to them, he bowed respectfully and whispered his dilemma in the rich language of the Fae. At this, the crystals shimmered and twinkled to each other to make a decision.

Then, much to his surprise, the other three crystals willingly shed a shard of themselves to help. He plucked up the small, precious crystal slivers and gave another respectful bow. When he turned, he found himself staring at a vision of Aethelwyne. Her long, blond hair with its light curls was picture-perfect and easily held back from her pointed ears. Even her soft, light blue eyes regarded him with a form of sadness, but with relief. She was wearing a light purple gown lined with gold to show her royalty status. She lacked a crown, but that was expected, since it had died when she did. Elvey was shocked. Robin knew they had to get back to Ambrosia, but Elvey needed to know what this was about.

" _Elvey,_ " she whispered softly in a light, dulcet tone with a ghostly echo. " _I forgive you for everything. You have given me a place of high honor to rest. Do not worry about me anymore. I shall assist in protecting these crystals. Let Aelfric be reborn. Treat him as he should have been treated. Treat Ambrosia as you should have treated me in life. Those are my only requests._ "

" _Aethelwyne..._ " Elvey whispered and swallowed. " _I did not deserve you._ "

" _I know,_ " she smiled softly. " _But...I deserved you._ "

He trembled and nodded. " _I shall honor your requests._ "

" _Good. Now go back to them. We do not want Ambrosia to suffer for long,_ " she said seriously. Then she handed him a lump of mithril crystal for the new pendants. " _And have the Dwarven Master make the next pendant. Let him teach Cyborg._ "

" _I will!_ " he nodded at her vanishing figure. He wanted to feel despair, but she was right.  _I have to get back to my growing son._  He moved swiftly to reach Ambrosia just before her worry kicked in. The elemental went back into the ground, and he revealed the three slivers.

"Three?! You were given three of them?" Jericho gaped.

"From the other three crystals," Robin nodded. "And...Aethelwyne appeared before me. To forgive Elvey for everything. I...don't know...what to say..."

" _She did?_ " Esmiralda gasped softly at this. He nodded and relayed the whole conversation. Tintagel was speechless. Beast Boy sighed and bowed his head to show grief and respect.

" _We can let Cyborg learn. Easily,_ " Tintagel nodded through Jericho. " _And just rest easy that you were forgiven. You know that we'll make you respect her wishes!_ "

" _I know that,_ " Elvey smiled softly. " _We need to go._ "

"Yes, we do," Jericho agreed. Robin pocketed the three mithril crystal slivers with the mithril lump. He made sure to walk extra close to her to ensure that any Fae energy released would get caught by the pendant at Ambrosia's throat. That was easily done, and the mithril crystal within the pendant seemed to shimmer with relief that it didn't have to work so hard. Ambrosia even started to look better when she breathed deeper in a calmer way. Within moments, she was sleeping heavily.

"Try not to make too much noise," Robin chuckled. "She likely won't wake up, but we never know. Just to be safe."

"Of course," Beast Boy nodded. He shifted smaller to carefully rest on top of her belly. Then he got kicked off by Aelfric. That had Robin laughing. Beast Boy then moved to settle against her legs with his wings against her belly. A sharp kick there had him chirp with frustration.

"Settle along her shoulders," Jericho chuckled. Beast Boy was quick to do just that. He gave a rather protective, wary glance around them. When they reached the gazebo, they waited for the others. It didn't take long for them to appear. Robin showed Raven the three mithril crystal slivers given, and she was just as amazed as her robe was. Then he told them about Aethelwyne.

"She is alive?" Starfire asked.

" _No, but her spirit was able to form with all the raw Fae energy. She will assist in guarding the mithril crystals inside the Earth Golem. She also made me vow to treat Aelfric the way I should have treated him. The same with Ambrosia. I intended to do so, anyways,_ " Elvey said through Robin.

"Good," Cyborg nodded.

"We have a new Fae location to visit. Are you all ready?" Jericho asked.

"Yes," Raven nodded. Starfire beamed, and that was when Robin saw Silkie.

"Why are you bringing Silkie?" he asked.

"Oh! Well...we didn't want him to be alone," Starfire smiled.

"We figured a small bit of Fae honey, or even her ice cream, could easily put Silkie to sleep if he gets out of control. We'll be watching him," Raven nodded.

"You're responsible for him, Star," Robin smiled. She beamed at him and hugged Silkie. Jericho laughed softly and activated the moon crystal for Elvin's castle home. The place they appeared at next made them pause with sheer wonder.

Fae vendors lined the streets with baked goods, fresh fruits, and various trinkets for sale. Children were laughing and playing with various pets and toys. Even the adults were moving about in a timely fashion to get to where they had to go. Many paused to look at them all curiously, but it was the sight of Ambrosia that had many of them gasp with surprise.

"Yes, this is Queen Ambrosia. I am her husband, King Jericho. King Elvin invited us here to speak with him. Where can we find him?" Jericho asked. His crown shimmered happily to any that noticed it. Robin then took out Elvey's pendant to let it rest in full view. That had even more confusion when it was recognized. When questions were about to come forth, King Elvin and Queen Gelsey both appeared in their own fashion to calm the crowds and answer their questions.

"Such a pretty trinket she wears!" a Fae merchant said from his resplendent cart and finery. He was talking about Ambrosia's pendant. "Is it for sale?"

"No. It is what keeps her alive," Jericho said with a hint of warning. The pendant shimmered with a touch of hurt at being thought of as something ordinary. Jericho noticed this right away and said, "No! There is no need to do a punishment. He did not know. None have ever seen your like before."

The pendant was still unconvinced. Robin's pendant now sparkled to show it was an accident. Even the crowns reflected this. Gelsey was just amazed at how much power each item they had truly held. After the small crowd was split up, Elvin led the small group into the large castle. It looked just as regal and stately as Ambrosia's family home. When she woke up and looked around, Jericho rested a hand on her shoulder to show all was well.

"You should have woken me," she frowned.

"No," Jericho smiled and kissed her. "We had everything under control."

"Who are you?" Elvin asked a weaker Fae man in front of him.

"Um...is that Queen Ambrosia?" the Fae man asked. It was only obvious why he was there. He wasn't sure how he knew of her, but any Fae could travel to the castle from another underground castle. It was possible that he was there browsing the goods and recognized her current state.

"It is. And she does not need help," Elvin said in his own protective tone. "Leave my home!"

"Oh. Are you sure?" the man asked with a touch of hopefulness. Beast Boy glared from where he was and let out some smoke to show he was ready to attack if he approached her.

" _I'm going to kill him,_ " Elvey said through Robin.

" _I'm not stopping you,_ " Tintagel growled through Jericho.

"How rude! Leave my home at once!" Queen Gelsey said shrilly. "You filthy ingrate!"

"I'm puttin' a hole in him!" Cyborg said and powered up his gun.

"Silkie will eat him!" Starfire said and held up the caterpillar.

"Oh, but he can help me," Ambrosia chuckled. "I have a hungry Treant at home. He can pay it a visit. I'm sure it will welcome him with open arms and be quite grateful for the free meal."

"Ah..." the man paled. Then Elvin booted him from his kingdom with a permanent ban.

"Disgraceful," Raven growled. Her robe calmly sent the sensation of her back getting petted. She grumbled, but sighed and showed she was fine.

"We should get Herald and Jinx," Beast Boy snickered in his small dragon form. "High Warlocks will make any cringe before getting too close."

"Very true," Elvey nodded. "Raven?"

"I shall call them," she nodded and did just that. When they arrived, Raven told them what was going on. Both of them were disgusted.

"Again?! It's happening again?!" Herald growled.

"I learned how to turn humans into frogs! Think it can work on a Fae?" Jinx giggled.

" _You can try it on the next one,_ " Elvey smirked. " _Is King Warren and King Ealdun here yet?_ "

"I think they were on their way. They are meeting two of our daughters," Elvin chuckled. "And there they are. Hello, my dears. Everything well?"

"Yes, Father," one of the Fae princesses in a gown of light blue with silver trim smiled. Her eyes were a pretty pale blue, and her hair looked like a very pretty pale yellow against her fair skin. Her body was as willowy and slender as her sister's body was.

"Are they here yet?" her sister asked with a touch of curiosity. Her eyes reminded one of an ice-blue lake, and her hair was the color of autumn leaves with tinges of brown. Her skin was a touch darker, but not by much against her fairer skinned sister. She was wearing a gown that reminded one of an emerald green with touches of gold.

"They are almost here, Fayette," Gelsey smiled and embraced her daughter. "Are you ready to meet them, too, Raisa?"

"Ah, yes. A bit nervous, though," the first one smiled. At the sight of three High Warlocks, they both paled, but they were quickly shown that nothing was wrong.

"Just be at ease," Elvin smiled and hugged them both. "Let me introduce you to King Jericho and Queen Ambrosia. Yes, the very same Ambrosia from your youth!"

"She lived?!" Fayette gasped. "I only played with her a couple of times, but they were the happiest moments I ever had. Ambrosia? Is it really you?"

"Fayette. It has been far too long," Ambrosia smiled softly. "I am grateful that you were not there on my wedding night long ago. At least I do know that I still have a friend that lives."

"I could not go. I had to care for one of my horses from an illness. I want to know everything," she said. "If it's all right?"

"Of course," Robin nodded. Now she recognized Elvey's pendant. Jericho moved to whisper softly to his wife and let their crowns touch to shimmer softly. Raisa smiled softly at the shimmering and sighed. All princesses longed to become one with a soul-mated crown.

When King Ealdun and King Warren appeared, King Elvin was quick to greet them and welcome them into the castle. At the whisper of the Fae man that appeared earlier, they were both appalled.

"If he comes back, we should find out where he hails from," Ealdun growled.

"And hang him by his trousers along the outer wall," Warren nodded.

"Done!" Elvin grinned. "And here are my daughters, Fayette and Raisa. My dears, this is King Ealdun. And here is King Warren. Treat them with respect."

"Of course, Father," Raisa nodded with a small smile.

"What happened to your Queens?" Fayette frowned.

"Sinlus," Warren sighed. That had them both gasp. "As princesses, the two of you were safe. He was only after Queens with crowns. As to why, none of us know."

"That one can harm us no more. He has been neatly disposed of by his own Court," Gelsey said to reassure them. "Now, I want each of you to get acquainted with them. Don't be shy! If you don't feel that you belong with them, then it's fine."

Fayette was already moving to King Warren with a rather curious look in her eyes. Raisa was lightly glancing at King Ealdun with a soft blush. It was quite apparent at who they liked. They were both as old as Ambrosia, but neither had found a decent Fae man that had taken their fancy. It was quite coincidental to everyone that noticed this.

"I'm starving!" Ambrosia winced. Robin was quick to help her sit up, and Jericho gave her a tub of the ice cream she needed. Now that she was eating, she began to feel better. When Silkie showed his hunger, a spoonful of the potent ice cream was given. After it was eaten, spoon and all, he fell asleep in Starfire's arms. That had her giggling.

"That creature is so cute!" Raisa giggled.

"He is Silkie! My bumgorf!" Starfire beamed. "I am also a princess, too!"

"Really?! Oh! We must gossip at some point in time," Fayette laughed happily.

"We will later. We need to reach the Dwarven Master. Apparently, we may have two new orders for him," Elvin chuckled. Both Kings coughed and hid their small blushes. Even his daughters blushed and giggled softly to each other. Gelsey laughed gleefully, and Ambrosia smiled with a slight nod of exhaustion. She was still eating, though.

"What is that you are eating?" Fayette asked.

"Ice cream. A very powerful form of it. Ah, you may get full with even a spoonful. Here," Jericho said and took a clean spoon with a small drop of ice cream on it. "Just lick it."

"So little?! Well..." Fayette frowned. She licked the spoon and almost doubled over from how full she got. "What is that?!"

"Think of your strongest Fae honey tripled and blended in ice cream," Cyborg said with a nod.

" _Ambrosia gets drained so much now,_ " Elvey sighed when he came through Robin. " _She eats three of these containers in one sitting. It can't be helped._ "

"Three?! Three of those?!" Fayette gaped. Gelsey sighed and chuckled. Now Raisa had to try it, and she was floored at the merest taste she was given. Ambrosia frowned at her empty container, but her pendant shimmered to refill it for her. She beamed and began to eat again.

"I never tasted that yet," Gelsey mused. She was given a small taste, and she swooned from the overload she got. "Can we have some of this? It would do wonders, if there is a food shortage."

" _We can see what needs to be done. However, we need to see to the Dwarven Master now,_ " Elvey nodded. " _He comes first. The rest can be done later._ "

"Agreed!" she nodded. "Come, my daughters. Let us see about a couple new gowns for you both. I believe it is needed."

"Mother?!" Raisa seemed to groan.

"We have quite a few new gowns! I don't need anymore," Fayette frowned.

"Wedding gowns, dears," Gelsey winked. Now they both blushed hard and left with her. Warren and Ealdun could only look at each other and laugh at what was to come. Elvin grinned softly and gestured for them all to follow him to the edge of the castle kingdom. He whispered a word of power for the strong illusion to dissipate.

"Hurry! I can't let any others see this," Elvin urged. When they all quickly trudged in for the illusion to be replaced, he sighed. "Follow me."

"Of course," Jericho nodded.

"We should go back," Herald said. Jinx was already agreeing with him.

"No," Raven said. "The Dwarven Master may be able to upgrade your robes. Come with us."

At this, even their robes urged them to go with the others. They moved inside the cave quickly. Beast Boy curled up happily on Ambrosia's shoulder, as she rested in the hovering chair. Cyborg was grinning, as he followed them. He was eager to meet with the Dwarven Master. Raven and her robe were just as excited as Herald's and Jinx's robes were. Starfire was carrying Silkie easily with her, and Robin kept pace with the three spare mithril crystal slivers as close to Ambrosia as possible. The three Fae Kings looked at each other and followed them down the path with a shimmering light to guide them.


	54. Chapter 54

 They were led down a winding, narrow tunnel. Cyborg had a couple tight spots to squeeze through, but he made it past them with hardly a scratch. They continued to move down the pathway into the solid rock. Ambrosia was about to have complications with her chair, but a familiar purring sounded around them. The walls suddenly seemed to widen and shift to provide more room.

" _Thank you,_ " Elvey smiled. Another purr was given before they moved again.

"Should have just asked it to help," Cyborg said.

" _No. We can only ask for help when the need is dire. If Earth chooses to help of its own free will, then I will accept it. I will only ask if all else fails,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho.

" _Tintagel is correct,_ " Esmiralda said. " _This one is already doing so much. Let it aid as it wishes. No need to force when such a thing is not needed._ "

"That's right," Robin chuckled. Raven was simply curious of what she was going to see. Jinx and Herald were just as giddy. Starfire was still kept close, as she held a deeply sleeping Silkie. Warren, Ealdun, and Elvin were striving forward to lead them along. They knew where they all had to go. Beast Boy was calmly settled on Ambrosia's shoulder in his small dragon form. He was enjoying himself.

"Can't you scout ahead?" Cyborg asked Beast Boy.

"It is not wise," Beast Boy said. "From what I have read, Dwarves are very secretive beings. For me to start poking my nose in various places, well, I'd get into a lot of trouble."

"I think I like you better as a dragon," Raven grinned. "You seem to think things through a lot better. Or am I wrong?"

"Not funny!" Beast Boy snorted to get them all chuckling. Elvin rose up his hand for silence.

"We are getting close now. We must all be respectful. He truly is the last Dwarven Master of the Forge left. He has been training apprentices, but not many hold as much knowledge as he does. Come," Elvin said. Robin nodded and Jericho moved to keep a hand on his wife's shoulder to help keep her calm. When Aelfric kicked for attention, Robin was forced to place a hand on her belly.

"How much further?" Cyborg asked.

"We're here," Elvin said and led them into a massive cavern that resembled one of the largest forges that were ever seen. Each nook and cranny there looked like a forge. And each one appeared to have crowns being made in various stages. At the center of the forge floor was a short, stout, muscled humanoid sporting a rather intense grey beard that was covered in soot. His head was bald, but he wore a protective iron helmet that was hammered thin into the form of a skull cap to protect himself from runaway sparks. A heavy leather apron that had seen years upon years of use covered over his chest under his massive beard. Heavier pants and boots were worn, but that was all he had on.

"Don't ya jest stand there! Move that crown ta the next forge! Go on!" the stout figure hollered and shouted at the small wave of apprentices there. At the sight of the royal entourage, the being bowed. "Yer Majesties! Ta what honor do I have ta meet ya? Wait...that crown!"

"Yes, Durthis. I thought you would recognize it. She is now Queen Ambrosia. And, ah, we'll need two crown orders within the year, if possible," Elvin said.

"I can see that. And...no! That pendant!" Durthis gaped at the sight of Elvey's pendant.

" _It's good to see you, too, Dwarven Master Durthis,_ " Elvey said from Robin. " _And I'm still surprised your beard is the only thing that still hasn't surrendered to the Forges! All that soot really does work wonders, doesn't it?_ "

"There was only one that greeted me as that. And yer not him," the Dwarf snorted. At the same time, he was amused. Only Elvey could make him chuckle.

" _You could say that I am reborn through him. The pendant should explain it. And, you do need to be brought up to speed on a lot of things. Are you able to listen?_ " Elvey asked.

"I can work as ya talk," he nodded. He was used to doing that for orders. Now that he was being informed, Jericho kept Ambrosia company by sitting on an elaborately made chair of ornate ironwork. After a couple hours of intense discussion, the Dwarf did something he hadn't done in several years. He paused in his work and sat down. "I am...speechless."

"We all were," Ealdun nodded.

"And this child is ta be the Ultimate Judge?" he asked.

" _Yes,_ " Elvey nodded.

"And that explains why the pendant chose ya. Okay. Sinlus. Bah! May he rot!" the Dwarf snarled out and wiped the grime away from his dark brownish-black eyes. Getting up now, he finally noticed Cyborg and walked over curiously. The half-cyborg grinned and started to show off his gears. At the crystal cylinder weapon, Durthis was simply amazed. Then Jericho showed him the sun crystal crown, and they explained how it was made and why. "Amazing! Ya can charge crystals that fast?!"

"With me," Herald nodded. As a test, a few crystals were brought out. Herald blew his horn for the moon to filter through. The Dwarf's eyes went round. As much as his apprentices wanted to watch, the crowns they were making needed very special attention. If they faltered even once, then the crown being made would gain a flaw. Flaws were not allowed.

"We do have a very special order that needs to be done. Ambrosia's life depends on it," Jericho said. This had Durthis's complete attention. At the sight of the mithril crystal slivers, he went speechless. Then he was shaking at the sight of the mithril lump.

"Where did ya get this?!" Durthis demanded.

" _From an Earth Elemental,_ " Elvey chuckled. At the sudden purring that was heard all around the cave, Durthis dropped to his knees in silent prayer. Earth Elementals were secretly revered among the Dwarves. When Earth began to speak, Durthis glanced over at the giant face that formed in the very rock wall. He could easily understand the elemental.

"I see! Yes. I can make it, but it will be tricky. It can't leave her. Right," the Dwarf said. "I might have something ta use. Ah! I can use my portable forge! I can do that!"

"A portable forge?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes. And I'm not done talking ta ya!" the Dwarf said. "Ya have my interest in what ya can do! So we're not done."

"I hear ya," Cyborg chuckled.

"Let me fix this up first. Then I'll give ya'll a tour," Durthis said and moved to bring out a small metal structure with a super-heated flame within it. A small tube, much like that of a smoldering gun, was seen next. He already had the mithril ore and was melting it down in the small furnace.

"Please do," Jericho said when he studied Ambrosia. She was starting to get weak. Durthis gestured to the three Kings to stand aside with the others, but he had Cyborg get up close to help. Earth was still there to ensure that the slivers would not harm the Dwarven Master. The slivers did know that he would be the only other one able to handle them with utmost care. A rather skillfully crafted pendant was now made to house all four crystals in a perfect symmetry. He was able carefully weld on the parts he made to the already existing pendant with Cyborg's help on where the pieces could be attached. The smaller mithril crystals were expertly re-positioned to work with the extra output of energy given off. It was given a small buffing with a soft cloth to bring out the luster of the mithril.

"There. That should work. As fer crowns," Durthis said and gestured to the three Kings. "I have these two ready. Who they be fer?"

"New Queens, really," Elvin said. "For King Ealdun and King Warren. My daughters are to wed them."

"Oh! I'll have two ready within a month. I have them in the final cooling stages now. It takes twelve months in a year of specific refining fer each crown. A month per process. Then an extra day is taken fer them to wake slowly to only slip back into a dormant slumber. It's jest enough fer them ta wake up ta ensure they were successfully created. That's all," Durthis smiled. "Like wee babies."

"Makes sense," Raven chuckled. He nodded. Then he paled at the sight of her robe. When he walked over, she sensed a slight form of amusement from Robe. The Dwarf was recognized, but he wasn't the one that created the robe.

"Somethin's different about yer robe, eh?" Durthis muttered.

"Well, this was the original one made, apparently," Raven shrugged.

"I thought it looked familiar!" Durthis chuckled. "About time it chose one!"

At a small tug to the sleeve, it gave off a sensation of laughter. Then Durthis looked at Beast Boy with a silent form of wonder. At this, Beast Boy yawned, stretched carefully, and jumped off Ambrosia's shoulder to revert to his real form. "Hi! I'm Beast Boy. I helped rescue Ambrosia with Jericho."

"Did ya now?!" he blinked. At this, Beast Boy became a unicorn and whinnied. "Ah! That horn would fetch a lovely price! But, I am not one ta touch it. Be careful with that form."

He nodded in agreement and reverted back to himself. "Don't worry. I get that warning a lot."

"And what be that thing?" the Dwarf asked when he looked at Silkie.

"Silkie is our residential mascot!" Cyborg grinned. "And has a nasty appetite for my meals."

"He must be a good eater, eh?" he chuckled. "I am still very amazed at how ya made the crowns. Even that duplicate of Elvey's crown! It be impressive! Can ya show me how ya did it?"

"If he did, you would have to leave here. Is that wise?" Jericho frowned.

"I think I can show him here. There's plenty of stuff for me to make what I need. Just give me an hour," Cyborg grinned confidently.

"That's fine. As he works, I need to speak with Durthis a bit. I'll make sure he gets back to you. Oh, Durthis, if you like what Cyborg does, do you think he could apprentice to you?" Elvin asked.

"Hmm. I have quite a few apprentices now. But none like him. I'll test him," the Dwarf nodded.

"Good to know," Jericho chuckled. Starfire was just beaming at all the sparkling gems and crystals around her. Jinx and Herald now had their robes examined with fascination.

"Master Smith," Raven said.

"Jest call me Durthis. What can I help ya fer?" he asked.

"Do you have any possible ways to enhance the power of our robes? Ambrosia was able to give us a strand of her hair and that helped, but I'm not sure what else there is," she said.

"She did?! A hair from her? Hmm. Can I see the hair?" he asked. Raven gave over hers, and he studied it critically. "I can weave this inta the outer linings of the hem. That may do somethin'."

"Did you want to?" Raven smiled.

"Have the robe come off and I will," he nodded. Now she sensed hesitation.

"Hmm. He doesn't want to come off," she frowned.

"He?" Durthis asked.

"Ah, yeah. He appeared as a male to me," she chuckled.

"Is that so?" Durthis seemed amused. "And why not a female?"

"Jericho, can you have your crown assist Robe, please? He needs a hologram," Raven said. Jericho nodded and got whispered to by Ambrosia.

"Are you sure, love?" he asked. She nodded and they let their crowns touch to shimmer.

"Soul-mated?! They be soul-mated?!" Durthis gaped with complete awe.

"Yes," Jericho chuckled. The two glowing balls of raw Fae energy now quickly zipped through the massive forge. Crowns were upgraded and enhanced. Crystals were made flawless. At what they were doing, Jericho's jaw dropped. Even Ambrosia was in shock.

" _What are they doing?_ " Elvey asked from Robin.

" _They are...ensuring that other soul-mated crowns will happen..._ " Tintagel swallowed from Jericho. " _Yes, this is draining, but they feel that it's desperately needed._ "

"Now I be worried. Warren's crown and Ealdun's crown. As we know, they already exist here. Will they become soul-mated ta another? And if so, ta which ones?" Durthis asked.

"That's a good question," Ambrosia giggled and thought to her crown. The glowing ball moved to hover over two particular crowns of interest. "There are your crowns."

"Good! I'll oversee these two meself!" the Dwarf nodded. Then Ambrosia's glowing ball of Fae energy moved to hover over the crowns of the two Kings. Jericho's raw Fae energy ball soon joined hers, and the two Kings seemed to pause. Their crowns were now fully woken up. Jericho and Ambrosia were in another state of shock.  _Their soul-mated crowns were able to prepare existing crowns to be soul-mated. It was something completely unheard of._ When Ealdun and Warren realized what happened, their attention was drawn back to the two crowns being created. They were nearing the completed stages, and Warren actually felt his crown tingle with a form of excitement. Now he blinked.

"My crown! It knows!" the King gasped.

"Same with mine. I knew how powerful your crowns were together, King Jericho, but this is just...astounding! You woke up our crowns in full!" Ealdun said with amazement. Once the other forming crowns were seen to, the glowing ball moved back over to Raven to sparkle out. Robe gained his humanoid, illusionary form and chuckled. The Dwarf clearly marveled at this.

"I'm quite possibly the only one that can do this," Robe sighed. "And feel free to call me Robe."

"Sure. I know yer real name is secret. I can respect that," Durthis nodded. As they conversed leisurely, Robin and Jericho were sitting down to monitor Aelfric. They were both worried about the tests.  _The deadline for them was getting close._

"Each night is to be a training night," Robin muttered. At Earth's rumble, he chuckled. "Yes, you will be there, too."

"I know that. Book study for us, and physical training for them. Slade may join us, too, if you think about it. He's still a pawn," Jericho grinned.

"That he is," Robin nodded. "Now that Ambrosia has a better talisman, we may be able to get more Titans into the training. It's sorely needed."

"At least the ones that may be tested, but what do we know? Any of them may work," Jericho snorted. "Better to be safe than sorry, you would think."

"I know it. I'm still amazed that Doctor Light got in. Him! Of all the others out there! I'm in shock. Easy win for us, at least," Robin grinned wickedly.

"I still feel bad for him," Ambrosia sighed. "For all of them."

"Slade was forced. He may have the only chance to escape them. Like every other possible outcome he's ever had," Robin grunted. At her soothing thought, he sighed.

_:Worry not, my human. That one cannot touch you anymore.:_  she chuckled.

_:I know, my Queen. I just feel so...irked! But, I do know. Elvey would laugh and dance circles around him. I'm sure he was baffled by Sinlus breaking in.:_ he snickered.  _:I know he has no clue about that moon crystal, too.:_

_:Obviously not.:_  she agreed and mentally leaned into him.  _:Are we almost done here?:_

_:Almost, my Queen. Your crown's spiritual essence is returning to you. Jericho's crown is still helping Robe talk to Durthis. It's amazing that they were able to bring soul-mated crowns back! Now they just need rightful owners. I'm sure they will know who to pick. And I'm sure that Durthis will only allow paired ones to go together.:_

_:It would be best.:_  she agreed and yawned. A mental kiss was given to her, and he watched her drop off to sleep. She was far too exhausted now, but the pendant was clearly helping her now. Durthis was able to weave Ambrosia's strand of hair into Robe's hem, and the power boost was quite clear.

"Thank you!" Robe chuckled. He actually seemed a bit more solid. "With this, I think I can project my own image. At least in short bursts."

"Good," Jericho sighed a touch weakly. His ball of Fae energy returned to his crown, and he felt instant relief. Herald blew his horn to let the moon filter down on him, and Jericho nodded his thanks.

"And done!" Cyborg said when he finished building his makeshift forge.

"Interesting!" Durthis mused at the oddly made forge. Some molds and ore pieces were gathered, and Cyborg was able to show off how he made a duplicate crown. "I see. Too many flaws. But, then ya go back ta fix them. Ta me, that's a waste of time. First time perfection always be the top priority here. Also, these crowns will never be alive. It would be good ta give ta those others that think they want crowns. Jest a few basic ones with nothin' more than a show of pompous flaunt."

" _Reminds me of Foster,_ " Elvey shivered.

"That one? Bah! Disgrace ta all royalty!" Durthis snorted. "He came 'round here so many times! I finally took out me axe and chased him out!"

"You have an axe?" Beast Boy asked with childish delight.

"What is this?" Starfire asked with genuine interest.

"An axe be me weapon, girl," Durthis beamed. He liked talking about his axe! He led them over to a wall of weapons and pointed at a weapon that could have doubled over him in size. It was a nasty double-sided axe with a blade that could have hewn a solid oak tree in half with one swing. It was fully decorated with flawless blue moon crystals and gold interlay along the hilt and mid-part of the solid steel sections of the blades. He took it off the wall and showed how he held it.

"Whoa..." Beast Boy gaped with complete awe.

"This be Grymflogger! Me axe fer battle. It had been a long time since I last wielded it, but I felt it was needed. Jest this once!" Durthis winked. Jericho chuckled, as Tintagel remembered the last time that axe was used.  _The Dwarf's home was broken into. The would-be thief was escorted out in boxes of hewn limbs. Dwarves never take kindly to those that meant to do ill._

" _Hmm..._ " Elvey mused when a strand of Ambrosia's hair came off onto him. " _Ah! I see..._ "

" _She lost a hair on you?_ " Tintagel blinked.

" _I know who this goes to,_ " Elvey chuckled and had Robin get up to head over to Durthis. " _This is for you. It came off of Ambrosia just now._ "

"Did it?!" the Dwarf gaped and took the hair as though it was a holy relic. Now he looked at his axe. Then he grinned wickedly. "Thank her kindly when she wakes."

" _Of course,_ " Elvey chuckled. Then he blinked when Durthis suddenly reached out to grab the pendant, but it wasn't to remove it. It was to study it. And the pendant didn't harm him. This was the pendant's creator. It showed instant respect.

"Good ta know ya still know me. Ya look good! I'll jest buff ya up a bit," Durthis mumbled and took out his polishing cloth to carefully clean the pendant. "There ya go. I do have a question fer ya."

The pendant seemed to wink. Then Elvey asked, " _A question?_ "

"Aye. The chain holds the last of yer power. Did ya want to transfer it?" he asked.

" _No. It may be needed for Robin here. If something goes wrong, the charge in the chain will be a last ditch effort to save him from being drained. He's still training._ "

"I see, I see. But, this chain isn't meant ta hold such a charge. It can cause damage. If it was dormant, that's one thing. Now that it be active again, it be like a ticking bomb."

" _What?!_ " Elvey gaped at this.

"If there be any more mithril ore, I can make a thread with it and weave it through the chain links. That will help contain the charge. And, if ya be close enough ta Queen Ambrosia, the charge from her pendant can also charge the mithril," he grinned. Elvey was stunned at this idea. Earth seemed to sigh. It had no more mithril ores to give. Then it had an idea and pulled itself from the cave. It went to seek out some of its brethren in the area. Mithril ore was now collected. Some was still kept in reserve, but a few sizable pieces were able to gathered.

When Earth reappeared, a massive forefinger jutted up from the floor carefully to show off nearly ten sizable mithril ore pieces sticking out at the top of its finger. Durthis was stammering with complete disbelief at the generous offering. He carefully took up the mithril ores and placed them into an impenetrable strong box. But, he did keep out one lump to start crafting it into a very long thread. Right after it was made, it was taken to be carefully woven through Robin's pendant chain. The excess energy was safely absorbed into the strand.

" _Thank you,_ " Elvey nodded.

"Jest keep that babe healthy," Durthis nodded back.

" _Can do,_ " he chuckled. " _She's sleeping right now. Are we done here?_ "

"I think so," Raven nodded.

"I guess I'm not?" Cyborg laughed softly.

"Nope! Ye be stayin' here!" Durthis said. "Don't ya worry. I'll have ya come here in small trips. I can give ya somethin'."

"We do have a teleporter. If you want, we can add your Forge to it," Jericho said.

"Oh? Hmm. As long as ye call before ye visit," Durthis said.

"I'll only barge in unannounced in extreme situations," Jericho nodded.

"I do have a question fer, ah, Tintagel," he said.

" _And I'm speaking. What is your question?_ " Tintagel asked through Jericho.

"The ashes of yer crown. Can I see them?" he asked. This caused a touch of pain to go over Jericho's face, but he nodded. The urn was taken from Ambrosia's bag and given over. A silver plate was set up now, and the ashes were carefully removed from the urn to be studied. With a Dwarvish word of power, the ashes slowly rebuilt up into Tintagel's crown.

" _What are you doing?_ " Tintagel asked.

"Crowns that were destroyed untimely," Durthis muttered. "have a chance ta come back. If the broken pieces are kept, or even the ashes, then the original creator can offer a second chance."

" _What?!_ " Elvey gaped.

"It's a closely guarded secret," the Dwarf explained. "I feel that this needs ta be known. With all the crowns that Sinlus corrupted and destroyed...we need ta bring back the ones that held the most power. That be the older ones. Like this one."

"I think I still have my Queen's broken crown," Warren said.

"Same with mine," Ealdun nodded. "I'm not sure who would have made them..."

"I can possibly have them become whole again ta grace another Queen's head. They would hold no memories, but I can attempt it," Durthis nodded. When the ashes of the crown started to struggle, he gave a soothing tone of encouragement. "Come on now, lad. It wasn't yer time yet. Don't ya want ta come back to sit on another King's head? Ta have another chance? Come on. Think about it."

" _It was quite content with me,_ " Tintagel sighed.

"Wouldn't ya like ta sit on Aelfric's head? Ta stay in the family line?" Durthis asked. Now the ashes seemed to tremble. That idea definitely appealed. "It can be done."

" _It's..._ " Tintagel whispered when the crown began to reform in full. When the crown fully reformed and gleamed with a show of life, Durthis chuckled. The herd of deer that seemed to roam around the circlet showed a whole new wave of life. The moon crystals of dark blue and lighter shades of a dawning sky were easily replaced with the surprising overhauled bag of crystals that were brought to him. After Herald charged the crown up with his call to the moon, Durthis carefully inspected it. He was very pleased, and even Tintagel could sense an intense form of joy from his old crown.

"I knew ya could do it! I'll protect ya here," the Dwarf promised. "Rest now. Ya earned it."

"It's beautiful!" Starfire beamed.

"Aye!" Durthis grinned. "It be one of my best works. I'm glad it chose ta come back."

"I am the same," she smiled. "I am a princess, too, but from the planet Tamaran."

"Really? Ya wear crowns?" he asked.

"Not like these," she giggled. "Um...I am not sure if one could even work for me."

"True. But, I may be able to have yer friend make one fer ya. Ta see how it goes as his final test," Durthis smirked and glanced at Cyborg.

"Ah..." Cyborg gaped. Now the others started laughing. Durthis was going to become a massive turning point in their future. They already knew it.


	55. Chapter 55

When they finally got back, Durthis's intense Forge was added as a teleport warp location. Jinx and Herald had Ambrosia's hairs carefully stitched into the hems of their robes, too, before they left. Cyborg was given a special teleport brooch to get back to Durthis when he needed to. There was even a room set up for him, if he needed to work on a various project that required him to stay overnight.

"Remember," Durthis had told Cyborg before they left. "all Dwarves do need sleep. But, ye can condition yerself ta go beyond sleep. Don't hurt yerself doing it, but slowly condition. Some projects require constant attention. Only take the time ta rest when ya know someone can help replace ye."

"I just committed myself to a life-long contract of being a student. Didn't I?" Cyborg grimaced.

" _Yep!_ " Elvey grinned at him through Robin. " _He was the one that made my pendant. I had no idea that the chain was in danger!_ "

"A bit more than blowing up a moon crystal, huh?" Beast Boy grinned.

" _I could have destroyed over half of your United States, if it went out of control,_ " Elvey frowned.

"Um...yeah. Don't remove that thread!" he gaped. Elvey laughed softly.

"Your energy is that bad?" Starfire asked as she held Silkie. The caterpillar was still asleep.

" _It would no longer be contained or refined. It's considered raw when it's released unexpectedly,_ " Tintagel said through Jericho. " _It's exceptionally dangerous._ "

"Hmm?" Ambrosia yawned and stretched lightly.

"We're just talking about the excess energy my pendant had in the chain," Robin said.

"Oh. I see," she smiled softly. She seemed exceptionally lethargic now, but her enhanced pendant was working perfectly fine. When she winced on trying to move, Jericho was able to carefully shift her around. "My lower back...!"

"Okay," he muttered and began to massage out the stressed areas. She seemed to gasp with relief at this with a soft whimper. "Don't worry. I'm not leaving your side."

"We have specialized heating rocks she can use," Elvin said. "Oh, Ambrosia..."

"Hmm?" she asked.

"Durthis was able to resurrect your father's crown," he said softly.

"What?!" she gasped. "I..."

"You were asleep when it happened," Jericho said with a gentle smile. "Your father's crown will grace Aelfric's brow when he is ready for a Queen."

"I don't know...what to say..." she whispered and tears began to fall, but it was out of joy. Jericho hugged her close and let her bury her face into his shoulder to weep. She was overly emotional now from the pregnancy. The others could only show their support with soft smiles and nods. Then she gasped at the hard kicks she was given when Aelfric wanted attention.

" _Stop doing that! You're hurting your mother!_ " Elvey growled out and rubbed her belly to soothe her a bit. At a softer kick given, he sighed.

"Easy, Aelfric," she sighed and rubbed her belly to help soothe him back down. "I do hope these tests finish off quickly."

"Well, I refuse to let the Unseelie Court remove me from your side. They know of our threat," Jericho grounded out, as he continued to hold her. "Anyways, we need to get back to higher ground. Are you well enough for me to walk with you?"

"I have a better idea," she said and seemed to want to stand. When she got on her feet, she had him sit down in the chair. Then she sat in his lap. "Okay. Now I'm ready."

"That's not fair!" Robin said.

"My wife," Jericho grinned at him and tapped on a control.

"You both can take turns," she said. "Right now, I want Jericho with me."

"Fine," Robin sighed. Starfire seemed to giggle at this.

"I can get used to this," Jericho chuckled. She snuggled into him and ended up falling asleep on him. He easily managed the controls of the chair with a free hand and kept her secure to him with the other. When he started to show exhaustion, Robin pushed his hand off the controls to help activate it.

" _You can take a nap. You haven't been sleeping well, anyways,_ " Elvey muttered softly. " _That and your crown did drain you by helping new soul-mated crowns come forth._ "

"True..." Jericho sighed and yawned. Hugging Ambrosia closer to him, it didn't take long for sleep to fully claim both him and Tintagel. Once sleep was claimed in full, they began to talk softly.

"He hasn't been getting rest?" Raven frowned.

" _The Unseelie tests haunt his mind,_ " Robin frowned. " _and her pregnancy is always at the forefront. I tend to sense him pacing the room while she sleeps, too. He worries even more than he lets on. Tintagel tries to get him to rest, but even Tintagel is straining on this. Her pregnancy is of utmost importance now. I'm actually starting to worry for him._ "

"Raven," Robe said when he manifested next to her in a walking stance. "I have a request of you. If you can hear me out?"

"Okay," she nodded as they walked.

"I would like you to be in their bedroom tonight for me," Robe said. "I want to monitor them."

"I can do that," she said.

"Why?" Robin asked.

"Because, if he's pacing, it means he needs to talk. And he may need to talk to me," Robe said. "Older Fae cannot simply talk about just anything. He is holding something back."

"He's right," Warren said. "Let him try and speak with Tintagel."

"We'll arrange something," Robin nodded. Then Elvey took over and said, " _It would need to be done discreetly. Tintagel has quite a few secrets. I know many of them, but worries are something he rarely shares. Even with me._ "

"He will share his thoughts with me," Robe chuckled softly and vanished away.

"That's creepy!" Beast Boy said.

"I find it useful," Raven chuckled. "Just tell me when to go to a movie. Robe will chaperone."

"Aww!" he pouted. She nodded and suddenly paused. She looked over at Ambrosia's sleeping form with a frown. She saw the kicking her belly was doing.

"Robin, keep your hand on her belly," she said.

"This is like playing Twister!" he sighed and tried to work with the controls. He had to lean over to do everything, and it was a bit uncomfortable. That got a few giggles from the others.

"You know, there is a remote control feature," Cyborg grinned and pushed a button for a small remote control device to come out.

"And you didn't tell us?!" Robin scowled at him. Cyborg just shrugged and watched Robin keep a hand on Ambrosia's belly easily now, as his free hand worked with the remote.

"Much needs to be done?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah," Robin said with a light nod. "We gotta make sure this kid pulls through."

"He is very important," Elvin chuckled. "With him being born, many of the Unseelie scouts will become fearful. They will think twice before attempting anything."

"I hope that Aelfric will be able to fully remove Sinlus's soul, too," Raven muttered a bit darkly.

"I'm sure that much will be done," King Warren said.

"And I will ensure that this child is protected," King Ealdun nodded. "I signed the treaty. We all did. Those that did not sign it are subject to being Judged, if they attempt to cause us harm."

" _As it should be,_ " Elvey nodded from Robin. At a purring that resonated from the cave walls, Robin found himself gaping with shock. " _We just walked away from the Forge! I mean..._ "

"What is it?" Ealdun asked. Raven was in a bit of shock from what Robe translated to her.

" _Earth wants to consult its other elemental brethren in tonight's training. It feels that they may have other specific crystal sliver types to offer for Ambrosia's pendant!_ " Elvey said with disbelief. Now the three Kings looked at him with complete shock and surprise.  _To get slivers from other elementals was unheard of. All of the elemental factors knew how important this pregnancy was. Since Ambrosia was being protected by the most powerful elemental factions, all of them knew that she was guarded fully._

"At least we will know that the elementals are protecting her," Herald said. "Can they see what happens to her through the slivers?"

"That's a good question!" Robin said. Elvey now listened to the purring that happened. " _Um...wow. Yeah. It can hear what happens..._ "

"I am pondering," Starfire said. "can the elementals make the place we are to fight?"

" _Now that..._ " Elvey mused aloud.

"If we really want to make the Unseelie nervous, this would do it!" Cyborg grinned wickedly. "They could ensure of no cheating, too!"

"Dude..." Beast Boy said with a grinning laugh. "That would be awesome!"

At this, Elvey had Robin stop the chair and move to Jericho's side to whisper. Tintagel roused slightly to chuckle and confirm his thoughts before drifting back to sleep. Elvey now said, " _We need to move faster. We need to get to the main castle gardens. Elvin, you do have a garden that has a lake with a windy setting, right? Even with fire-lit torches?_ "

"We could set up a small pyre," Elvin said. "For what purpose?"

" _The Fire Elemental needs to reach us, somehow. They cannot give over their slivers in dreams. We need them to appear in their physical states,_ " Elvey said. " _Earth will help us contact them._ "

"Do we need to go through various measures like Earth? To go inside the elemental?" Raven asked. Even Robe was clueless about this.

" _I'm honestly not sure,_ " Elvey admitted. " _I've only worked with Earth._ "

"Hurry now!" Elvin said and ushered the group through the exit. "Now that we have a direct way to reach Durthis, we won't have to expose this way in. I'll take you all to the gardens."

" _Great!_ " Elvey chuckled. They were led to the massive garden in the back of the castle grounds. A rather impressive rose garden was here, but that was Gelsey's personal retreat. When they got there, Robin stopped the chair and gently woke up the sleeping couple.

"Huh?" Ambrosia asked and yawned herself awake.

" _Earth wants the other elementals to give over their slivers,_ " Elvey chuckled. Now she looked at him like he was crazy. Tintagel knew of the arena idea, but he didn't know of the slivers. Even he was in a form of amazed shock. Ambrosia gave a trembling smile, as a wave of hormonal emotions threatened to consume her again. Jericho squeezed her and let her rest her head against his chest.

"I feel ill..." she winced.

"Easy, dearest," Jericho soothed and stroked her back. Then he grimaced when she leaned over the chair to show exactly how ill she felt.

"I have some water for her!" Robin said when Elvey showed him how to conjure up a small glass with almost no effort at all. Cyborg and Beast Boy seemed to frown heavily at this. Starfire and Raven were also at a loss on what they could do. Jinx and Herald glanced at each other and decided to see what they could do to help speed things along to help summon the elementals.

"Don't worry about cleaning up," Elvin said softly.

" _Thanks,_ " Elvey said with a small mutter. Robin was already in the motion of helping Ambrosia rinse out her mouth, but she got ill again. She wanted to cry. A fresh cup of water was ready for her the moment she reached for it. She looked completely miserable.

_:Easy, my Queen.:_  he soothed.  _:We all know how stressful this is.:_

_:Why?!:_  she gasped mentally and whimpered at his mental caress.  _:I thought...I was past this stage! I mean...I just...:_

Earth rumbled softly around them and lifted its massive face from the ground carefully. At the worried look it gave, Elvey said, " _She got very ill from the stress just now._ "

This did not sit well with Earth. It seemed to look at her pendant and purr softly. The pendant at her throat shimmered in response. Jericho watched this and sighed. "It's the pregnancy. There isn't much we can do right now. We can only help her cope."

Earth seemed to grumble at that. Now a song was heard in a deep, harmonic tone. The crystal slivers at Ambrosia's throat seemed to chime out a soothing melody to it. Much like a lullaby. She sighed with a soft form of comfort, and Jericho seemed to pause at the song. Elvey was surprised. He recognized the tune. Tintagel did, too.

" _Who would have thought,_ " Tintagel mused softly as Ambrosia's form was held close. " _that this particular traveling song actually referred to the elementals?_ "

" _I know,_ " Elvey said with a soft smile. When Gelsey appeared with her two daughters, Elvin moved to her side to whisper to them all. They were quite amazed at what transpired.

"They will have soul-mated crowns?!" Gelsey gasped.

"Yes," Elvin chuckled. Then he paused at the shimmering of Jericho's and Ambrosia's crowns. The two blue balls of Fae energy appeared and quickly sped over to circle their crowns. The royal couple looked at each other with complete shock. "They...woke up our...?!"

"I..." Gelsey gasped with a form of complete surprise. Their crowns were now soul-mated and overjoyed at being woken up in full. When the crowns were awake, the glowing balls settled back into their respective crowns. It was definitely clear in what just happened. But, it was only evident that Ambrosia's crown and Jericho's crown would contain such power. The others would be awake to be soul-mated and hold their own power, but none could truly rival to what a naturally soul-mated pair could do. It was still needed, though, to have soul-mated crowns return to protect their bearers.

"Are you close to...?" Elvin asked her softly.

"Next week, I think," Gelsey blushed softly.

"Make plans," he grinned and kissed her. The two daughters giggled at this. Ambrosia gave a soft chuckle at this news. Robin was contacting various Titans to have Herald bring them over to assist with the elemental summoning.

"You need a fire?" Hot Spot chuckled.

"One worthy of calling the Fire Elemental in the physical form. Think you're up to the challenge?" Cyborg grinned. That actually surprised the fiery Titan.

"I think I can crank out a good blaze," he mused and turned to see the mass of wood being brought over to a controlled area. "I'll make sure not to burn the place down."

"Don't worry. It's warded," Elvin said with a small nod. Hot Spot nodded back and rose up his hands to let the wood suddenly burst into flames. Raven summoned forth a small wind to come through the gardens now, and Jinx worked on the water to let it feel alive. Herald called forth the moon to show on everything to help charge and increase the magical potency of what was being done. Within a few minutes, Fire, Water, and Wind were able to appear.

"Am I late?" Durthis said when he appeared. Cyborg was able to fetch him, and it was the first time in a thousand years that he left his Forge. This was too important, and he had to see this for himself.

"Just in time!" Beast Boy grinned.

"I thought they were larger?" Robin frowned. They looked to be about a third in size from what they were in the training dreams.

"They are able to control their size," Ambrosia said softly. Fire blinked with burning blue eyes and extended a fiery hand to her. It was obviously giving over a sliver of its crystal core.

"Can ya give me the sliver? I can weld it inta her pendant," Durthis said. Fire thought over this and whispered to the sliver in its hand. It shimmered with a burning, coal-red light, and it was given over. Water was next to give over its deep blue crystal sliver, though it wasn't much. It was still a very powerful fragment. Wind seemed to have even less from the golden-colored sliver it gave over, but it was clearly more than enough. Earth purred at this, and Durthis brought out his small forge. He was able to expertly fuse the crystals into the pendant with intense care.

" _This pendant can never be removed from her,_ " Elvey said sternly through Robin. " _All of her pregnancies could become dire. This pendant will save her life._ "

"Agreed!" Ealdun said. The others were quick to vow this.

" _Also, think on this,_ " Tintagel mused from Jericho. " _With this pendant, it's quite possible that each new child she gives birth to can be well-versed in any elemental magic._ "

"That's quite true!" Raven said with Robe's confirmation.

"I would say that we should all have pendants like hers, but such is not the case," Warren sighed. "She is the Life from the ancient prophecy. Tell me. When is she expected to have children? Is it the normal turn-around time like our Queens?"

"No. She feels it can be every seasonal turn. Depending on when she knows she is ready, of course," Jericho said and squeezed his wife close. "She could be giving birth to two children a year. Or after every six months when her body heals."

"Well, we won't know until it happens," Beast Boy said when he sensed her worried thoughts. "We just have to wait and see."

"Very true," Elvin nodded.

"If only I could do that, too," Gelsey frowned. "I'm always once a year to every other year."

"And I make each one count," Elvin nodded to her. She blushed at that.

" _It's good that you do,_ " Elvey said lightly. Robin knew what that was all about.

_:Robin, dear, King Elvey should know that it's all in the past now.:_  Ambrosia whispered to him.

_:He knows. It's just...the knowledge still stings him. It will take time to adjust. He never had the time to properly refocus his thoughts, you know?:_  Robin sighed. She only nodded to him and mentally leaned into his mind. Esmiralda also felt for Elvey now. Then he saw Beast Boy dart over to take out her bucket of ice cream to give to her.

"That's right. You got ill," Jericho said and sat up with her a bit to let her eat. Now her main Earth crystal sliver was able to rest, as the other slivers took over in keeping her ice cream tub full. She could have eaten five full tubs of the dense ice cream before she finally stopped. "Amazing."

"Can't help it," she seemed to shrug and was given some warm, sweetened water to sip down. The elementals around them seemed to chuckle. Then they were alerted to a disturbance.

"We have an intruder!" King Elvin growled out when his wards gave a mental ringing to him. "And it is not a physical one, either."

" _Unseelie..._ " Elvey and Tintagel growled out, but Fire was already working on it. It called forth a small ball of fiery energy no larger than a marble and seemed to flick it at the two meddling, invisible sprites. At the small squeals they gave in protest, the foul sprites were revealed. Water was next to encase them in a watery ball. Wind now howled and chilled the ball into ice. Then Earth sent up a spike to impale it. They were made of raw Fae energy, and each attack was excruciatingly painful to the sprites. Even as the energy dissipated around the sprites, the damage done showed it was extensive.

"The Unseelie is unwelcome here!" Elvin said with a hard glare at the suffering sprites. "Leave!"

_"We just had one question!"_  a sprite said in a simpering tone of agony.

_"Please! No more objections!"_  the other rhyming sprite seemed to groan.

"We will  _always_  object when it comes your Court!" Jericho snarled out. His crown shimmered in warning. The elementals were clearly irritated at this.

"State your question and be gone!" Elvin commanded. It was his grounds that the sprites were on. He was the one in full control of the situation. At how his crown shimmered in warning, the sprites paused at this. When Gelsey's crown shimmered with its own rage, they seemed to tremble.  _The soul-mated crowns were coming back to life._ This did not bode well for Court at all.

_"We have a feeling..."_

_"That someone is stealing!"_

_"An item is gone."_

_"It was stolen last dawn!"_

_"Was more than last dawn..."_

_"But still! It is gone!"_

"Okay. So, something actually stole from you?" King Warren frowned. "What item?"

_"A ring! A ring!"_

_"Such a tiny thing!"_

_"But it holds such power!"_

_"Please help us? We cower!"_

"Let me get this straight," Jericho said. "You had an item of great power. Someone took it. You want us to help you find it. Okay. Fine. We'll see what we can do. But, you will owe us a favor."

_"We figured we must."_

_"The favor is just,"_  the other sprite agreed.

"Then your vow is needed in full. Ambrosia will not be separated from me for any length of time. Yes, you vowed before, but it was through your servant. There are a lot more soul-mated crowns coming forth. If you break your vow, your entire Council will be hunted down to the ends of time," Jericho said with a narrow-eyed glare.

_"That we can vow!"_

_"You have our word now!"_

"What does this ring look like?" Warren asked sternly. Raven and Robe were paying close attention. Even the elementals were staring at the sprites with complete hatred.

_"Tis slender and shiny!"_

_"A slight hint of sparkly!"_

_"Of deeply red gems..."_

_"With blue tint in them."_

_"It fits on one's pinky."_

_"Tis lost! Please find quickly?"_  they said in dual turns.

"What's so special about this ring?" Bushido asked from where he stood.

_"This ring of power..."_

_"It can devour..."_

_"All magical things."_

_"So special, it sings!"_

_"The one there that can fly..."_

_"No more! Must walk by!"_

"Wait," Robin said. "You're saying that this ring can nullify powers?!"

At their agreeing giggles, everyone was shocked.

"Dude! The warehouse!" Beast Boy said. "That gun hit me with something that blocked my powers! Remember?!"

"That's right," Cyborg said and thought aloud. "If they have this ring to do that...and if they are able to refine it to enchant other things...or alter them for human use against others..."

"We are all in some serious trouble," Robin frowned hard. "And Ambrosia healed you, Beast Boy. I don't think she'll be harmed, but if others are and she can't heal them from straining herself..."

"What's this about?" Durthis frowned. Cyborg now informed him of the gun with the DNA targeting bullets. He was floored. "Bring that thing ta me!"

"I will," Cyborg said.

"We'll need to pick up the pace on finding that ring. Can we delay the testing for this?" Robin asked the two sprites. At their small shakes of their heads, he scowled.

"We've been hit with harder deadlines! We'll do all that we can," Bumblebee said.

"Okay. Titans, go!" Robin ordered. They quickly dispersed.

"We'll search for what we can, too," Ealdun nodded.

"It just gets better and better," Hot Spot snorted. "I'll contact who I can that may have some ideas. You gonna talk to Mr. Wayne?"

"I could. He can see this a threat to Ambrosia. I'll contact him when we get back to the Tower or the castle," Robin agreed. "Just be careful, everyone! If Ambrosia is the only one that can heal you all, just remember. She's pregnant and can get weak fairly fast. Be on guard."

"Right!" Bushido nodded and sped off in Herald's portal. Jericho and Robin looked at each other and the rest of the group. The sprites were now able to leave, but the elementals were planning to keep a much closer watch on everything. Ambrosia's pendant was now their link to seeing what went on around her. As the four left, the slivers revealed all to them. The moment there was a problem, they would do what they could to reappear to help.

"Castle?" Jericho asked.

"Yes. And more rest," Robin nodded. Raven was already planning to follow them. Robe wanted to stay nearby to talk to Tintagel the moment he revealed himself.


	56. Chapter 56

Robe wouldn't get the chance to talk until an hour after they were settled in the bedroom chamber. Jericho was trying to sleep. Tintagel was trying to help him sleep. It just wasn't working. Robin was already sleeping deeply. Elvey was sleeping, too, to give Robe and Tintagel the privacy they needed. Raven was sleeping in a cot on the bathroom floor. As much as she would have declined it, Robe was able to convince her to help Jericho and Tintagel out.

"It's the only way, Raven," Robe said and hugged her mentally. "If there is anything of dire need for you to know, I will tell you. I vow."

"All right," she nodded. He placed a kiss on her mouth as though to seal it and helped her get comfortable in the cot. When she fell asleep, he materialized and waited. The moment Jericho was out of bed to pace around, Robe walked into the bedroom.

"Talk to me. I can't play chess, but you can move the pieces for me," Robe said calmly.

"What?" Jericho blinked. "I have nothing to discuss..."

"Shut up. Sit down," Robe ordered. Jericho just groaned, but did that, anyways. "In fact, I'll make it easy on you. I'll make the chessboard so that I can move the pieces. Every time I take out one of your pieces, you have to talk. If you take out one of mine, you can option to talk."

"How would I move the pieces?" he asked.

"Ask your crown," Robe chuckled. Jericho just nodded and watched the holographic chessboard appear. For ten minutes, no pieces were removed. When Robe claimed the first piece, he asked, "Why are you worried? You truly are."

"I'm not worried. I'm afraid," Jericho finally admitted. At this, Robe paused and looked at him.  _If a King was afraid, it was a very bad sign._ Now the game suddenly vanished.

"Change in rules. You talk to me. Now," Robe demanded. Now he saw the strain that Tintagel was going through.  _Something wasn't right._

" _It's not only her current pregnancy. It's all of them,_ " Tintagel admitted when he took over. Jericho simply didn't know how to voice everything. Tintagel did. " _A normal Fae should not have so many births so close together. I don't know if multiple births like this would kill her. Yes, we will take full care of her. We will do all that we can to ease her pain. But...if she can have children more than once in a year..._ "

"I see," Robe sighed.

" _I truly do worry for her health. She's the only one that has the ability to give back so much life! And, with Aelfric being the one to pass Ultimate Judgment on anyone..._ "

"Stop talking," Robe said. "First of all, Aelfric will have his memories. All the way up to certain things, I'm sure, but he will know how to properly use his powers and talents. This much is proven. As for her health with the multiple births...I am unsure. It has never been recorded for a Fae woman to do this. So, I see where your worry is."

_"Yes. It drains me to worry over this. I honestly don't know what else I can do to make myself feel at ease. If she dies..._ " Tintagel sighed heavily and shook his head. Jericho was able to voice out another concern. "You know what my crown would do to me."

"I do," Robe nodded with his own grimace. "Hmm. Elvey may be able to help us with this. He needs to call on Earth. We need some advice from the elementals."

" _You think so?_ "

"I know so. Wake him," Robe said. Jericho was given back to control to give a mental shove to Elvey's mental essence. Robin was carefully kept asleep, and Elvey was fully alert. He sat up in the bed and crossed his arms over his chest. Thankfully, Ambrosia was not asleep on him.

" _What is it?_ " Elvey asked now.

"We need Earth's advice. Tintagel is staying awake, because he is afraid for Ambrosia's health with multiple births. So is Jericho. That's the problem," Robe explained.

" _Afraid?!_ " Elvey seemed to hiss. " _Okay. I can call on Earth._ "

"Please do," Robe nodded. Elvey gently poked at his pendant as though to ensure it was awake, and the mental message was sent.

" _Hmm. We would need to meet with Earth in the garden. We can't leave Ambrosia here alone,_ " Elvey frowned. " _And you need us both to be out there to get answers._ "

"And Raven would need to be with us. Okay! Wake up the girls," Robe nodded.

"Must we?" Jericho cringed.

"Shut up," Robe muttered at him. As much as Jericho was a King, Robe had to be stern with him. "You brought this on yourself. It needs to be done."

"I know," Jericho admitted. Ambrosia was slowly woken up and told what was happening. Now she looked at Jericho and reached for him.

"Hush, love," she soothed and rested her hands in his hair. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"I know you will be," he mumbled and pressed his face into her neck. "I am worried about myself. There is so much going on now..."

"I know," she said softly and kissed him gently. "I know all too well. I see you suffering over me daily, Jericho. I know of the problems you have. I just choose not to voice them."

"Why?" he blinked at her.

"Because you would only worry more," she said with a soft frown. He looked away, sighed, and nodded. "I love you so dearly, Jericho. It hurts me to see you this way."

"And I love you just as much," he shivered and squeezed her to him. "I...try hard...not to let you see me this way..."

"I know you do. But, you cannot hide it for long. Now help me move so we can help you feel better," she smiled and squeezed him back.

"We need to see Durthis again, too," Robin sighed. "We forgot to ask about what Ambrosia wanted for you. That moon crystal trap for souls that we discussed."

"Ah. You're right. We were so caught up with everything else...and now we have to find a ring..." Jericho muttered. "All while having to prepare for the tests."

"The Titans are up to the challenge. Don't worry. We'll get all of it done," Robin nodded and went to his communicator. "Cyborg! Are you awake?"

"I am now!" the half-cyborg yawned. "What's up?"

"Sorry, but we need you to contact Durthis. I need you to deliver that gun and to ask if a moon crystal trap can be made to protect Ambrosia from any unknown Unseelie activity," Robin said.

"Give me ten minutes, and I'll hop to it," Cyborg nodded.

"Thanks. Oh, we may also need him here, too. You can bring Starfire and Beast Boy. We need to summon the elementals again," Robin said and dropped the call after that confirmation was given.  _A Titan's work was never done._  It was always a given.

Within the hour, Jericho, Ambrosia, and Robin were standing in the garden. Raven was setting up another pyre, and Cyborg was quick to help when he appeared. Starfire and Beast Boy settled around Ambrosia's chair to show they were ready to help with anything else. When Durthis appeared from the gazebo, he walked over calmly.

"As much as I don't like ta leave me Forge, this is just too important," he said gruffly. "But, I will admit. Whatever yer crowns did, I have had no mishaps of yet. I took a look at the weapon, too. I don't like it one bit. It gives off a nasty vibe ta me. It really does harness some power from the Unseelie."

" _That's not good,_ " Elvey muttered from Robin.

"As fer that crystal trap, I'll start on it the moment we are done here," Durthis nodded. "Let me check on that pendant, though."

" _Of course,_ " Elvey smiled. He watched Durthis move over to Ambrosia to carefully look over the powerful artifact. He was ensuring that the raw Fae energy was being dispersed evenly. The pendant shimmered at the tickling touches, and the Dwarf chuckled.

"It all be well," he nodded. "Now, why do ya want the charm made?"

"For Jericho," Ambrosia frowned softly. "He worries and has intense nightmares."

"I'll get that done when I am finished here," Durthis vowed. She smiled and nodded. At the soft sigh that Jericho gave, the Dwarf looked at him. "A worried King is something we don't need. Ya know this, too. I'll fix up something fer ya."

"Thanks," Jericho chuckled lightly. Beast Boy was able light the pyre with a heavy blast of flame as a dragon. When Durthis saw the pendant that Beast Boy wore, it was motioned to.

"It was made to shift around with my forms," Beast Boy explained.

"Ya know, I could weave a hair into it," Durthis said. Beast Boy was quick to revert back to human to show him the necklace pendant. "Who made this?"

"Cyborg did," Beast Boy grinned.

"Really?! It be nice work! A couple flaws, but not too bad," he mumbled and carefully fixed them. He took Ambrosia's hair and weaved it carefully into the chain. "There ya go!"

"Thanks!" Beast Boy chuckled. Now Durthis moved to confront Cyborg.

"I saw what ya made fer yer friend. It wasn't too bad!" he said. "I'll still be testing ya."

"I know," Cyborg chuckled softly. "But, what do you think about that gun?"

"The weapon be a bad omen," Durthis said seriously. "If ya find that ring, I want ta see it first. I insist on this."

"I'll see what can be done," Cyborg agreed. "We searched that warehouse we got the gun at. It's completely empty. As though the enemy knew they messed up. We're looking for clues now."

"Hmm. There be some leftover Unseelie taint in the weapon. In fact, I know there is. I sensed it. I could make a tracker fer ya."

"That would be awesome!" Cyborg grinned.

"I'll do that and make the charm fer Queen Ambrosia," Durthis nodded sternly. His attention diverted to the elementals when they appeared. Earth was quick to show up and call for its fellow brethren. When the other three elementals appeared, they eagerly waited to see what was going on.

" _Earth,_ " Elvey said softly. The elemental fixated its sapphire eyes on him. " _King Jericho worries over Queen Ambrosia's help with her pregnancies. She may be receptive to giving birth more than the usual time. It could tax her greatly. What do you think? The worry truly affects him._ "

Earth seemed to think on this and glanced at the other elementals there. Water suddenly gave a bit of an excited movement. It made a suggestion, and the other elementals were quick to commune with the ancient hill that housed Ambrosia's family home. Jericho's jaw dropped when a small part of the land changed. A small cave formed from Earth's help. Then Wind sent in a refreshing breeze to always move through the cave. Water made a small lake appear within it that was decent for swimming. Then Fire heated it up carefully.

"They made a place for baths?" Starfire asked.

" _They made a natural hot spring!_ " Robin gaped with Elvey. " _That will definitely help her after each birth! The heated water will soothe the soreness. The air will be constantly circulated, and the cave will keep all of the needed heat in!_ "

"I wouldn't use it now, though," Ambrosia smiled softly.

"No. Not with Aelfric developing. The water is much too hot," Jericho nodded. Now Earth seemed to purr. Elvey found himself laughing with Durthis.

"Ya don't have ta worry! The heat be absorbed inta the stone work. The water's heat will fluctuate with her as she needs it. She can go in the water right now and be fine," Durthis grinned.

"Maybe later I will swim. I'm too tired for it now," Ambrosia admitted. "But, if others would wish to use it, then they can."

"No," Robin said softly. "It was made for you."

"Aww!" Beast Boy pouted. At this, Earth chuckled and made a separate hot springs with the other elementals. Now the others gasped with delight. The special healing springs would be sealed off until needed to ensure the public one could be used. It was quite possible that it would be used after the tests were done. Maybe even after hard training sessions.

"I need ta get back ta the forge. I'll work on the new orders," Durthis said. He made his farewells and was quick to get back. He could never leave it for long.

"Durthis said he could possibly make a tracker for the gun. I'm gonna go follow him to see what all I can do to help," Cyborg said.

"That's fine. Do what you can. We might have a training dream, so you should try to make it. Durthis would easily understand. You'll have more time to apprentice after the tests," Robin nodded. Jericho was already having Ambrosia's chair move her back to the bedroom. She really needed rest now. And so did he. After talking to the elementals and having them make the hot springs, he felt a bit reassured. He had to try and sleep deeply. On watching him go, Robin turned to Earth for Elvey to speak out, " _Thank you. We are all worried for him. He has not been resting well._ "

Earth could only sigh at this. Then Water had a small idea that it wanted to do. As Elvey was bound to Earth, Water wanted to see what it could do for Jericho. Even Wind knew of the small elemental given to Bruce. Fire was a touch stubborn when it comes to lending aid, but Water clearly wanted to do something. It didn't say anything yet. Even as the elementals departed, Water gave the impression that it left.

When Jericho reclined next to Ambrosia, she was sleeping deeply the moment her head hit the pillow. He sighed and seemed to shiver. He was still worried. Then he noticed the sliver from the Water Elemental shimmering.  _The elemental was reaching out to me. The sliver was allowing it._ He blinked and realized it was talking to him. "Oh! Um, well...yes. I know I'm worried. No, no! The hot spring will be fine. It's just...I'm worried due to me being her husband and future father. Yes. That's right. It's all mental games now. I know she'll be fine. It's just me, I suppose. I can't stop the worrying. What will happen after the tests? What will become of Aelfric? I just...I'm trying so hard! And...at the same time...I feel as though I'm not trying hard enough."

At more shimmering, he sighed. "No, it's not you. You are doing everything you can. I thank you for that. I truly do. It's all on me now. Hmm? No, you don't need to do such a thing! What you are doing is plenty. I could never ask that of you. What?! No, you don't have to do that!"

"Hmm?" Ambrosia asked when she woke up at his talk.

"Oh..." he seemed to grimace. "Water is talking to me through the sliver. It feels I need an elemental companion of sorts. Like how Wind is to Bruce."

"Really? Well, King Elvey did have Earth to confide in. He still does. Water would definitely benefit you. I believe that Fire wouldn't do such a thing, if I can recall," she thought. Then she glanced down at her pendant as the slivers started to shimmer about. Jericho could only groan. "Dear?"

"They convinced Fire to help you," he muttered thickly. She blushed softly.  _Fire would definitely protect me to the fullest._ At the small shimmering that the sliver from Fire gave, he cleared his throat. "Well...she was attacked a couple of times..."

Now the Fire sliver seemed to spark. Jericho now had to explain what happened with Orin. Earth already took care of it, but Fire was now adamant that she would never be touched like that again. Now it suggested something to the other elementals. Jericho was roaring with laughter and contacted Robin. He was quick to show up at this news. "Do it! Let them!"

"Okay...!" Jericho gasped from laughing so hard.

"What am I missing?" Ambrosia asked.

"The elementals are adding their own warding spells to the castle shields," Robin grinned. That had her blink with surprise. Jericho was just trying to recover and was in a coughing fit.

" _Elvey, dear, please have Earth outfit my Treant,_ " Esmiralda crooned sweetly.

" _Done,_ " Elvey chuckled. Then he looked at Jericho and scowled, " _Breathe, damn you!_ "

"Shut up!" Jericho managed to gasp out. Ambrosia gave him a light bit of healing to help him recover, and he sighed with a small laugh.  _Nothing was going to get in or out of the castle without elemental inspection. And, with Earth powering the Treant just outside the main entrance,_ nothing _was getting through without a fight._  Jericho finally closed his eyes and slipped into a badly needed sleep. Ambrosia was able to carefully pull him close to let his head rest on her shoulder.

Robin reclined back next to Ambrosia and sighed. _A training dream was bound to happen._  With a confirming poke from Elvey, he grimaced, but he knew it was needed. His eyes ended up closing to finish up the sleep that he needed.

"Sleeping," Raven chuckled when she walked in. Robe only agreed and prodded for her to sleep, too. The training was needed to help the others, and even Robe wanted to give over any information that he knew of the Unseelie Court. It was desperately needed like everything else. "Okay. Can I go back to my room, then? I really hate the cot!"

Robe laughed mentally at her and agreed. She would sleep better in her own bed, and that was proven shortly after when her head hit her familiar, black pillow.


	57. Chapter 57

When Robin opened his eyes, it was to Elvey looking down at him with a grin. Robin knew why Elvey was grinning.  _The elemental warding was clearly a force to be reckoned with._

"I do have a question to ask," Robin said, as he got pulled up and given a fatherly hug.

"What's that?" Elvey asked, as they walked to the sheltered stadium seating.

"Is Slade going to be here?"

"Ah. Well, I think that depends on the elementals. They were using him as a pawn," Elvey grinned a touch wickedly. Robin found himself grinning at that thought. "He couldn't even get past Alfred! However, I may suggest to have things go a little simpler tonight. The tests are so close now! And we need to see about that arena construction."

"Well, the elementals did want to play as referees. If you think of it that way," Robin snickered.

"And they did want to help make the arena. We also have the false crown with the sun crystals in it. We'll need to talk to the elementals," Elvey said. Robin nodded and made his way to Ambrosia. She looked at him with relief and got pulled close.

"I'm here now, my Queen," he smiled and pressed a kiss to her mouth. "It's all right. I'm not leaving your side."

"What were you and King Elvey discussing?" she asked. Jericho helped her get comfortable in the seat she was in. Tintagel and Esmiralda were both seeing what they could do for their daughter, too. At the sight of the elementals appearing, Elvey waved at Earth. The massive elemental now leaned over to listen to what needed to be discussed. At the question of the arena, Earth let out a small chuckle and rose back up to consult the others.

The elementals all gathered together and focused on the landscape. They were making a test arena. A bowl-like shape began to form. Earth started the main design. Then Fire sent a wash of heat to cement it. Wind helped to chisel down any rough edges, and Water was quick to help lightly wash away the debris. There were drains created to help the excess water leave the arena floor. The entire place looked impressive. Tintagel was quite amused.

"I'm here!" Cyborg grinned. Then he saw the arena. "Wow. What's that?"

"The arena. The elementals were testing out what it would look like. This looks like the design they want, and they may help in making it a reality. They are going to ensure that no cheating happens this way," Tintagel grinned. Cyborg was now dying with laughter. When the others got there and told what was going on, the laughter they gave was the only thing heard.

"Oh, man! They'll all be in for it!" Hot Spot crowed.

"I know," Robin chuckled.

"What is happening now?" Starfire asked. "Anything I can partake in?"

"We may need to test how this arena will work," Elvey said and walked over to squeeze her shoulder warmly. "So, someone that trained with us before would need to be a candidate."

"Let me guess," Raven said from where she stood. "Slade?"

"Right on the money," Elvey nodded. Robin seemed to tense, but Ambrosia kept him calm.

"Do not think of it. Focus on me," she said softly.

"Okay," he nodded.

"Is that an order?" Jericho asked. He was being serious.

"It is," she nodded. Now he knew that Robin would obey it.  _He simply had to on being her human._  Esmiralda even nodded at this with approval.

"We should read," Tintagel said. "Or at least have you read to help focus your thoughts."

"That could work," Robin nodded. At this, Robe appeared next to Raven's side and had several heavy tomes appear for him to read. He dumped the books into Robin's lap after bringing them over. "What?! What's this for?"

"Read them," Robe said. When he was about to question again, he saw why. He redirected his gaze from the arena to the books in front of him.  _Slade had just appeared._

"Don't think of him," Ambrosia whispered softly. He only nodded, placed a protective hand on her belly, and began to read the first book in the pile.

"So...I am back?" Slade asked from where he stood in the arena center.

"That you are," Tintagel said from where he stood with his resting daughter. "The elementals wish to test you directly. Without us interfering."

"What?" Slade asked incredulously. Small sniggers were heard all around from the watching Titans. Robin was completely ignoring everything. He had to do so to remain calm.

"Easy," Jericho muttered to his developing son at the hard kicks given. The baby sensed Slade and showed intense dislike. "He has done no wrong yet. Remember that."

"He's done plenty," Robin muttered.

"Hush," Ambrosia said and yawned with exhaustion. She was already dozing off. Robin moved to let her use his shoulder as a pillow while he read. It wasn't long before a deep sleep claimed her.

"She's sleeping. Try to keep it down," Tintagel warned the others. Earth glanced over and had several walls of solid rock appear to help break up the sound. It would definitely help.

"So...she's up there...?" Slade asked. Then Fire appeared as a barrier to keep her safe. At the pulse of searing heat that Slade got in his direction, he realized that there was no way that approaching her was safe. Fire would simply cook him alive. Then Earth took it another step further by making a gap that was impossible to cross from the arena to where the others were.

Fire was still unconvinced and now had a moat of living flames appear to fill up the gap. It was taking its protective duty over Ambrosia very seriously.

"I guess he's not coming over," Jericho said with a small nod and a tense look.

"Definitely appears to be that way," Elvey mused. Tintagel was trying very hard not to laugh at Slade's stance of complete disbelief. Robe was leaning into Raven's shoulder to hide his laughter. Esmiralda was simply pleased that her daughter was so safe. Robin only glanced up once to smirk and went back to reading the book.

As the other Titans simply giggled and tried to remain composed, Slade refocused on the Earth Elemental looming over him. Then he saw the massive hand slam down onto the arena floor. The elementals were now testing the integrity of the arena. With a grumbling vibration that it gave out, the land now split as mountains rose up. Slade was forced to move fast before he got crushed.

Now Wind howled and sent out a blast to knock Slade down. He was resourceful, though, and took shelter behind a large boulder. That was until Water sent down a trickle of precariously placed streams to start cracking the boulder. When Wind let the air get chilly, the rock break down was eminent. All he could do was scowl and leap away before the crumbling rock threatened to trip him and trap him.

"They really don't like him," Speedy whistled.

"Wouldn't you do the same?" Bumblebee grinned. Pantha was busy studying all of Slade's moves. Even Wildebeest was taking a very keen interest.

"What do you think will happen?" Cole asked from where she sat on Gnarrk's shoulder.

"He knows how to handle himself. I'll give him that," Speedy said.

"That true," Pantha nodded.

"Robin thinks that Slade will not fight him," Starfire whispered. "Slade was forced to join the Unseelie. He may have a way to escape them."

"Really?" Hot Spot asked.

"Yes. Even Elvey thinks so," she nodded.

"I am curious to see if they would fight all the way," Bushido admitted. "But, if what you say is true on this..."

"I need to beef myself up against Trident. I'm still not sure what all I can do," Aqualad frowned.

"If you hold doubts in your heart, then you will not get far," Esmiralda said softly. "If you release the doubts you hold, then you will get much farther."

"I guess it's just worry over what I'll have to do against him," Aqualad frowned.

"Well," Tintagel said thoughtfully. "from what I do know, Unseelie don't really go for outright attack. They may do tests on how well you do with certain obstacles."

"Really? An obstacle course?" Speedy frowned.

"It depends on the person involved. I'm not a hundred percent sure on it, but, if both sides appear evenly matched, that is what they tend to do. Now, if one side is weaker than the other, the Unseelie may give the stronger side an edge. No matter who the side is for," Tintagel said.

"Dr. Light will definitely lose against any of us," Robin muttered with a soft grin. Elvey had to cough to keep from laughing outright. The others grimaced and withheld their laughter.

"Are you done with that? I don't think I read that yet," Beast Boy said when Robin flipped the first book closed. It was given over quickly and Beast Boy was quick to become his dragon form to start reading. "Ah. I have read this. Just a different language! Fascinating..."

"So, you like reading now?" Raven asked. Beast Boy nodded with a toothy grin.

"It's something to do," he winked with a white eye. She actually blushed at that. Robe chuckled and gently urged her over to read with him. She knew he was studying up on various dating behaviors. This would help. At the sound of a shout and a crash, they looked over and cringed. Slade was stuck between two boulders and was forcing himself to inch his way out of them.

" _BURN...!_ " Fire seethed and let flames lick up the rock to force Slade to move even faster. Molten hot magma now filled the arena floor. Earth brought up glowing red hot spikes of lava-filled rock to make touching them a complete chore. Hot Spot whistled softly at this.

"Yep," Speedy nodded.

"I can feel the heat from here!" Kid Flash grimaced from where he stood with Jinx. Even Herald was wiping sweat from his brow. Water overheard them and sent a cooling mist their way. "Thanks!"

"Fire is not happy," Elvey grinned.

"Fire is much like me," Hot Spot grinned a bit wickedly.

"I can't comment..." Robin muttered in a low tone to keep from being heard. Jericho cleared his throat to agree silently. Ambrosia was being fully protected by the elements to keep her comfortable. But, it was inevitable for Aelfric to suddenly kick out in such a way that she jolted awake from the pain.

"Aelfric! No!" Jericho hissed at her belly. Ambrosia was almost in tears from how hard she was kicked. Robin was now trying to carefully massage out the sore spots. Esmiralda placed a healing touch on her daughter gently. Tintagel and Elvey were now completely concerned with her.

"He kicked...because I'm hungry..." Ambrosia panted softly. Her pendant seemed to flicker in a way to give over some much needed energy.

"You need to wake up for a bit," Tintagel nodded. "Don't worry. Eat your fill and come back to us. We'll go nowhere."

"There is enough magic in this dream that nothing will break. You can leave and come back with no issues," Elvey nodded from what he sensed. She nodded and vanished away with Jericho and Robin. Five minutes later, they were back as though nothing happened.

"Friend Ambrosia?" Starfire asked when she flew over.

"I'm okay," she smiled. "Aelfric was very hungry."

"It will happen even more," Jericho sighed. When she suddenly turned green, the three of them vanished again. Elvey groaned and shook his head.

"This will be the roughest pregnancy she has," Esmiralda said with a soft smile. "She will endure just fine. How is Slade holding up?"

"He's still fighting. He has the same will as Robin," Tintagel said. And fighting he was. He was scrambling up a thin pole of rock that scorched his palms. The lava was eating away at the base, a harsh wind was trying to knock him down, and rivulets of water kept trying to make him lose his grip. When he finally got to the top of the pillar, he was panting hard. It was the hardest fight he ever did, and all of it was a dream. He didn't know he'd be feeling it when he woke up. That was kept a secret from him.

The elementals glanced at each other and seemed to nod. Then, as though nothing transpired, Slade found himself kneeling on the arena ground. He was completely floored by it all. Ambrosia had just reappeared with Jericho and Robin. She was in a form of distress now. The elementals noticed this and put on a small scene with various elemental acts that were a touch goofy to make her smile.

"They are really trying to cheer you up," Jericho chuckled. She could only nod.

"What ails her?" Slade asked when he saw her distress.

"Her growing son," Elvey said. "You should not be concerned over it. It is time for you to awaken. You might want to stretch when you do."

"What?" Slade asked. He was taken by surprise far too easily. Elvey simply grinned and shoved him out of the dream. Robin sighed out his relief, but he still kept his focus on Ambrosia.

"I'll be fine," she whispered and rested a hand on his cheek. "See to the others."

"Of course," he nodded. Turning to the other Titans, he grinned and said, "So, do we all think this arena will work?"

"It will!" Cyborg grinned. "Where do we plan to place it?"

"That's something I'm still not sure of. I know that those tests will happen in a couple days. We have to be ready for them. Even I don't know what will happen," Robin seemed to shrug.

"Maybe King Elvin will have an idea? Or King Ealdun?" Raven asked.

"That's possible. We could have a Royal Council watch the testing. What do you think?" Tintagel asked. "It would make things a touch more justified."

"And, with more soul-mated crowns being made, it would help to show a formidable front," Elvey grinned softly. "I say to do it."

"It may be beneficial," Esmiralda nodded. At that suggestion made, it was agreed to do it.

"My back!" Ambrosia winced.

"I'm waking up!" Jericho said. Beast Boy looked over now, but Raven put a calm hand on his scaly shoulder. He sighed and seemed to nod.  _They would help her._

The moment she woke up, Robin was already blinking awake to help her. Jericho knew the dream training was over. He helped Ambrosia get to the bathroom first. At how she clung to him, his jaw dropped. "Don't go! Please!"

"I'm not leaving your side," he soothed.

"I...I really...need you here...!" she whimpered. Robin's expression seemed to go numb. Jericho looked at him with complete and absolute worry.

"The third month..." Robin whispered.

"Yeah. It started," Jericho swallowed, as he cradled her.

"I don't know if we can do anymore trainings," Robin shivered.

"This means only one thing. The tests will not be in two days," he muttered.

"It will likely happen tomorrow. Elvey will take me over to help me sleep. These next few hours are critical to get everything prepared. Neither you nor I can leave her alone. Aelfric will not let us leave her side. I'll have leeway for the test, but that's it."

"Under five minutes," Jericho muttered under his breath. Robin winced at this news. "Elvey can easily level Slade flat within a minute. Don't worry. You're covered."

"I hope so," Robin trembled with complete worry. Ambrosia reached over to let him clasp her hand. At her small smile, he could only nod. "I love you, my Queen."

"And I love you, too, Robin. Don't worry. Just stay close, and I'll be fine," she soothed.

"You know I will," he said with a nod. Jericho only nodded at this.  _The stake of her life and Aelfric's life was at hand._  They simply had to stay close. There was no other option.


	58. Chapter 58

The next hour was a buzzing of communication. At the news that Ambrosia's third month had finally hit, concern was shown all around. When Robin was absent for most of the team meetings, they all understood. They tried to keep him in the loop through the communicators, but it was tough. In the end, it was Jericho that used the moon crystals to communicate through. It easily simplified things.

"We are going to do the tests tomorrow night. It will be a full moon, and we will do them close to Stonehenge. The ley lines will help power the elementals. They will also help Ambrosia from becoming too weak from the magic they give off," he said.

"How is she?" Starfire asked.

"Weak," Robin frowned. Ambrosia was clinging to both him and Jericho. "I can't leave her side right now. If I have to, it's for less than a minute. If I try to leave for longer than that, well, there is a chance that Aelfric can drain her severely."

"How will you fight Slade?" she asked.

"He'll have a five minute window," Jericho explained. "Any more time taken will result in her suffering very badly. The Unseelie vowed not to intervene with this. If they do, they have to take it up with every newly made soul-mated crown alive. I don't think they want that."

"They would be very unhappy," she nodded.

"I'm hungry!" Ambrosia winced. Her pendant was shimmering softly to show it was working hard to help her. The sentient crystal that belonged to Fire began to shimmer a bit more to send a wash of soothing relief over her. The warming sensations she got were clearly needed to help relax her that much more. The Water sliver had taken over the task to refill her ice cream tub. The sliver of Wind kept the air cool and refreshing around her to keep her calm. All the four Earth slivers needed to do were manage her energy intake now to keep her from feeling weakened.

When Beast Boy walked in with concern, Ambrosia smiled wearily at him.

"Hey. How are ya holding up?" he asked and sat on the bed.

"As long as Robin and Jericho don't leave me, I'll be okay," she said softly.

"I'll make sure they don't," he nodded. "Oh, Robin! We found out a bit more on that ring."

"That's right. We were working on that," Robin frowned. "What's going on?"

"Well, apparently only Unseelie can steal from Unseelie, right?" Beast Boy asked. "It would be tough for anything else to do it without detection."

"That's possible," Jericho mused in thought.

"And, well, that Foster guy used to be Unseelie, too. Right?" he seemed to grin.

"Wait. Are you telling me that Foster has it?!" Robin blinked.

"Maaaybe?" Beast Boy grinned wickedly.

"But...I mean..." Jericho seemed to blink at the confusion.

"Dude, I thought about it as a dragon. It's the only thing that makes sense. Foster used to be one of them. He knew what to look for and where to go. He was still kinda marked by them, too. Just reborn. I mean, sure, he could have used a secret selection of ninja hamsters and zombie rats to go in and cause a distraction..." he started. Jericho gave a glare of amusement to quiet him.

"Stop!" Robin winced. "You just made my brain hurt!"

"What?" Beast Boy seemed to pout.

"Don't worry," Ambrosia smiled gently. "All of it will work out. It does make me wonder if this is true. But...how can we check?"

"Hmm," Jericho mused and focused on any charged moonstones that were out there. "I think I found something. Yes. Foster's necklace had the gem replaced in it. I can see and hear through it now. Nothing yet, though. I'll keep watch on it."

"He likely won't do anything right now," Robin said. "Maybe something needs to be hinted?"

"Or, as much as we should not, but, can Unseelie talk to Unseelie?" Starfire asked.

"That may be what has to happen!" Jericho said with a hint of mirth.

" _Can I play as the messenger?_ " Elvey asked through Robin.

" _As long as the Unseelie do not come here,_ " Tintagel warned through Jericho. " _Ambrosia will truly suffer for it, if they appear. I'm exceptionally worried about the tests with how they will affect her. I honestly don't know how she will be._ "

At this concern being voiced, the Fire sliver flickered in response. Robin spotted that rather quickly. "What is it saying?"

"Hmm," Jericho thought aloud. "The elementals will shield her from the effects."

"Good!" Beast Boy nodded. At the fond petting he got from her next, he sighed and snuggled against her lazily. Starfire found herself giggling at that.

"Hey, guys," Raven said when she came in. "What's going on?"

"Discussions? Here's a current list of topics. Her third month hit. We're talking about the ring discovery. The elementals are going to safe-guard her against the Unseelie when the tests come," Jericho started to list off with a count of his fingers.

"You should have Durthis make a charm to help, too," Robe said when he appeared next to Raven. "He would know how to make them cringe."

"He would," Robin grinned. "I can report that to Cyborg."

"Do it," Raven nodded.

"Well, Jericho, you need a charm, anyways," Robin said when he pulled out the communicator. When Jericho was about to complain, a gesture was made to Ambrosia. Sighing with a slight touch of defeat, Jericho could only nod now. _It was to help keep her calm._   _If I fought it now, she would get upset._ Then he paused at a message that was sent to him. He seemed to think hard.

"Hmm. Ealdun just spoke into a crystal. We need to appear at Stonehenge. The arena needs to be made. Darling, are you able to be moved to your chair?" Jericho asked gently. At her small nod, both he and Robin moved as one. Beast Boy made himself ready to help, if he was needed. She was carefully moved into the hovering chair, and it extended out to support her frame better. Robin activated the heated massage that was built into it. That had her sigh with intense relief.

"I'll have him vamp this up a notch or two," Robin chuckled. Jericho chuckled, as well, and they both placed their hands on her belly to help her move from the room. The castle halls and doors were made a touch wider in advance for this. They couldn't afford to separate from her at any time. At the soft chuckle that Elvey gave out, Jericho could only grin lightly.  _A few energy signatures were repelled by the elementals. There were still various Fae males out there that were trying their luck._

"Disgraceful!" King Ealdun said when he walked over from the gazebo. "They are not from my realm. Yes, I feel them, too."

"Where are they coming from?" Jericho asked.

"I wouldn't doubt if it was from Foster's realm," Beast Boy snorted.

"You know what? You're right," Jericho seemed to growl. "He's having another wave being sent. He's hoping to confuse our shielding to try and see Ambrosia. And...okay...this is either too funny or a very big inconvenience..."

"What is it?" Raven asked.

"He's wearing the ring," Jericho grounded out.

" _Interesting. He wasn't wearing it before,_ " Elvey muttered from Robin.

"I know. He must be feeling threatened now. It also shows that he has no powers, because he can wear the ring safely," Jericho grimaced. "You would think that it would have harmed him, otherwise."

"It makes me wonder," Raven said. "If he's wearing the ring...does he plan to go anywhere? I mean, we stopped his operation, apparently. But...it does make me wonder if he has something else planned that he's going to attempt."

"I don't know. But, I need to do something about this now. King Ealdun, please step aside. I need the help of the elementals to make a special shielding. I need to speak with the Unseelie. I cannot delay in this. Ambrosia, love, please focus on me," Jericho soothed. She nodded and sighed with her eyes closing. Her pendant shimmered to send the message out. The elementals were quick to appear. Earth was able to raise its face up out of the ground slightly to show it was ready.

Fire seemed to hiss from the pyre it was on, as it sent out a wave of protective heat to swirl around her. Wind was able swirl a touch of itself around her next to strengthen Fire. Water rose up from the lake bed to let soft droplets add to the circular bubble that formed now. Then Earth rumbled to let particles of dust seal in the cracks. The shield went fully around Ambrosia, Jericho, and Robin. The Unseelie would not be able to affect her at all from the strong barrier in place.

"Thank you," Robin nodded to them respectfully. "Raven, get Jinx and Herald, please. We need a show of force. When it comes to the Unseelie, we must always be on guard."

"Of course, Robin," Raven nodded. Robe sent out the message. He was able to reach the other robes easily with a special communicative nudge. On being the first robe created, only he had this ability. Raven had no idea about it until now. "You're telling me that you can contact any High Warlock robe in the area?! And you didn't tell me this?!"

At the sheepish sensation she got, she could only groan. Jericho and Robin both had their jaws dropped with surprise. When Herald and Jinx appeared, they were also showing their surprise at this.

"So, will our robes ever be as strong as yours?" Herald asked.

"Not likely," Raven admitted. "Mine was the first robe ever made. They kinda used mine to make yours. So, mine is a bit of a prototype."

"And I can project myself," Robe said when he appeared. They had met him before, but they did feel slightly jealous at the power Robe wielded. "Don't worry. I'm sure that, as your powers expand, your robes may be able to open up a touch more to you in time."

"I'm holding you to that!" Jinx said. He laughed softly and nodded.

"Raven, I'm going to stick to remaining in the robe for now. I don't want the Unseelie to know about me," Robe said carefully. Robin was already nodding in full agreement with Elvey.

" _One less card for them to know of,_ " Tintagel muttered from Jericho. Robe and Raven shared a soft glance at each other before he let his form dissipate again. Elvey caught the glance.

" _So...Raven..._ " Elvey murmured softly for only her to hear. " _Robe is...special?_ "

"He wanted to be more than clothing," she muttered back softly. "It's why he was waiting for me. I...helped him. And he helps me. To a point."

Robin went speechless at this knowledge. Jericho glanced over with surprise.

"Worry later, loves," Ambrosia said with a tired sigh. They grimaced, but had to agree with her. They needed to focus for the new meeting.  _The shield was in place. The guards were present. Time was running out._ They had to summon the Unseelie Court now.

"Should I get the other Kings here?" Ealdun asked.

"Hmm. You could to show that a Royal Council is in effect," Jericho mused. The messages were quickly sent. And, to their surprise, Durthis appeared with them.

"Anything dealin' with that nefarious Unseelie, I want ta be around!" the Dwarf grumbled. Then he moved and easily entered the shielding that was created for Ambrosia to check on her pendant. At the happy shimmers the crystals gave him, he chuckled. "Yes, yes. I know. Ye all are doin' quite well! What? Hmm. Well, let's get this bit with the Unseelie done first. Then I'll check ya over."

"Something is wrong?" Jericho asked.

"Fire says it can't work hard enough in the clasp. I'll look inta it," Durthis nodded. At the sight of Elvin and Warren appearing, they nodded to each other. Jericho took a deep breath to focus. Then he spoke in the elegant language of the Fae to have a small portal appear. At the sight of the two sprites hovering in the air, a sense of mistrust and wariness was all around.

_"Why have you called?"_

_"Why look so appalled?"_  the sprites seemed to snicker.

"Well, if you don't want information on your precious ring..." Jericho mused.

_"Our ring! It was found?!"_

_"We searched all around!"_

"Do you recall an old member of your Court by the name of...Foster?" he asked and crossed his arms over his chest. At this, the sprites seemed puzzled. "No? Hmm. He may have changed his name. But...this false king...he has what you seek."

_"So, this false king..."_

_"He has our ring?!"_

_"Oh, where is he?!"_

_"Should we send Sinlus of Zee?"_

_"Oh, yes! Yes we can!"_

_"A test of our hand!"_

_"A test of trust..."_

_"You know we must!"_  the sprites cackled.

"If he betrays you..." Jericho seemed to grin. The sprites only giggled at this. When they noticed Ambrosia sleeping behind the powerful shield, they seemed to hiss at each other. Then Durthis cleared his throat to flash a powerful charm at them. He had made the amulet to catch stray Unseelie souls. And he had instilled a few sun crystals, too. The moment the vile sprites saw and felt what was being shown, they whined and quickly disappeared.

"You made one?" Robin grinned.

"Of course! I'll make more, too," Durthis snickered.

"When you do, I'll take one," Elvin chuckled.

"That goes for all of us," King Warren grinned. As they now got to talking to where the arena was going to fully take place, Sinlus was given a new mission. He was trying to monitor the chaos the others were making. Slade was the one that gave them all the idea to try and impress Sinlus. When the Unseelie sprites appeared to report what they wanted, Slade was clearly amused.

"Are you sure...you can handle this...?" Slade muttered over his shoulder from where he sat in his command center. Sinlus simply growled at him and vanished. Slade smirked and decided to send a message to Jericho over the communicator. Noting that it was received, he moved his scanners over the city above him.

"Can I handle this?! Bah!" Sinlus growled to himself when he spied on Foster's quarters. On watching the older Fae in the shadows, he found himself pausing with a touch of surprise. He didn't know that this one used to be Unseelie. It now had him thinking of how to use this as an advantage. When he saw the ring on the aged hand, he blinked with complete shock. He never knew of this item.

_"Fetch us the ring..."_

" _Or your pain will sing!"_

That was what he was told by the two sprites before they vanished. They knew he detested being under their direct rule.  _The Council would easily make me hurt._  For now, he had to obey their whims. He recollected himself easily and stepped out of hiding. "Hi. You have something that belongs to me."

"What?!" Foster gaped and turned. For just a moment, Sinlus was blinded by the bright, offset colors the Elder Fae wore. "Wait. I know you! You were dead! Killed! Only recently!"

"My flesh is gone. But, my spirit still lives," Sinlus grinned wickedly. "I have survived where you had failed. Now. The ring. Give it back."

"Or what?" Foster smirked. He rose up his hand to activate it. Then he noticed the ring didn't respond to his command. Sinlus giggled at this.

"It knows that it is among a creator. It will not work for you anymore," Sinlus chuckled. "So, let's make it easy. Shall we? Hand it over. Or die doing it. What do you say?"

"Finders. Keepers," he growled and activated a teleport spell. When he reappeared outside his small manor, he paused in shock at the sprites that waited for him. He teleported out of his boundaries. Sinlus was able to botch the teleport spell slightly for it to happen.

_"It's you! Yes, you!"_

_"It's Zin of Zou!"_

_"You thought to hide!"_

_"Oh, look. So snide!"_

_"But now you are found!"_

_"Put the ring on the ground!"_  the sprites seemed to seethe.

"You can't hurt me!" Foster snapped. "You don't want me anymore! You left this ring all alone. It called to me to pick it up. To use it! I am giving it a purpose!"

_"Tis true! Tis true!"_

_"It irks us, too!"_

_"The ring is smart..."_

_"Its temper is tart!"_

_"But it has cursed you..."_

_"Yes, Zin of Zou..."_

_"It knew that you were one of us..."_

_"It sought to use you! A speck of dust!"_

_"But you fell right into our trap..."_

_"The ring it will nap..."_

_"Forever and more!"_

_"And you lack your core..."_

_"A false king you will always be."_

_"You impress none. Not even me,"_ the sprites seemed to snicker in their rhyming talk. Foster's eyes seemed to roll back into his head, as the full might of the Unseelie Court crushed into him. They ripped him apart mentally and left him as an unconscious heap on the ground. His followers would find him later to try and fail to help him survive.

"I'll take this..." Sinlus muttered softly, bent down and took the ring off the unconscious Fae's hand. As he studied the odd ring, it suddenly vanished away.  _The Court took it back._  Sinlus was a bit perplexed at that. Sighing, he knew the ring would call for him. He already felt how it accepted him. Little did he know it, the ring was sentient. Quite sentient. It was trying to find a way out. It had decided to use Sinlus as a means of escape. The plan was now set in motion. All that the ring needed to do was wait. It was exceptionally patient.


	59. Chapter 59

It was decided to keep the arena a touch close to Stonehenge. They all agreed to have the arena built during the day to keep the Unseelie from interfering with their plans. They also managed to teleport to Stonehenge before the day shut out the night magic. They had to be there in advance to oversee the construction. There was no choice in it. Earth was already there when they arrived, and it took its time to shape the arena carefully. By the time it was done, the place was impressive.

It was sunk down a good two stories into the earth, and the ground was leveled flat. The sides were bowl-shaped with seating, but only at a story up for safety. It was half a mile around and just as wide to be a perfect circle. Specialized seating was set up for Ambrosia, Jericho, and Robin near the center of the seating halfway between the top and bottom rows on the eastern side. It was the closest to Stonehenge, too, and it was needed to help her with magical focus.

A pyre was created for Fire to show up and settle on. Water was granted a clear pond with Earth's help. Wind simply showed up and began to carefully sand down the arena floor. Earth even made a bit of a wall to help protect Fire's pyre to keep it from dying out too quickly, and another barrier was made for the small pond to help Water.

"I'm guessing this all starts at sundown," Robin said.

"That would sound about right," Jericho nodded. "I am impressed, though! The place looks very well built. And what is he doing here?"

"Just keep the shade on me!" Durthis warned when he appeared next to them with his hands filled with protective charms. "If I'm out and about in daylight, I might turn ta stone. Earth! Can ya make some pillars? I want ta hang up some of these."

Earth looked over and chuckled at the sight of several sun traps. The elemental also looked over at Water when it looked over curiously to rumble over. Water nodded and created a heavy mist in the air with Fire's help. That helped to blot out the sun for now. Durthis moved swiftly, and Cyborg was quick to give a hand. Then other flying Titans appeared to help out. When it was done, he moved to settle back in the shaded area with Ambrosia. He had to keep watch on her talisman for now.

"What are these for?" Bumblebee asked.

"If the Unseelie try ta cheat, these will ensure it can't happen," the old Dwarf grinned.

"Effective," Raven snickered softly.

"They are so pretty!" Starfire beamed. Then she flew to hover over by Ambrosia. "The moon will be full tonight?"

"Yes. There will be plenty of lighting, too. Don't worry," she said with a soft sigh of exhaustion. Jericho and Robin kept their hands on her swollen belly at all times. Robin was able to program the chair to give her a heated massage to help her relax, and Jericho was soon helping her eat some ice cream.

"Don't shift her too much now. The sliver of Fire told me it had some problems. I want ta fix it really quick," Durthis muttered. "Ah. The mithril is thin here. I need a bit more."

"Don't conjure any," Jericho whispered to Ambrosia when she shifted to sit up.

"But it's needed," she frowned.

"I only need the size of a pebble," Durthis vowed.

"Well..." Jericho sighed. "if it won't tax you..."

"I'll be fine," she chuckled and focused. The very small pebble of mithril formed in the Dwarf's hands, and he was quick to start melting it down with his portable forge. He carefully used it to strengthen the casing around the Fire sliver. At its shimmering of relief, he chuckled.

"Are the crowns gonna be okay with you here?" Cyborg asked.

"They be fine," Durthis nodded and sat back down to watch and wait. He wasn't going to budge. He wanted to see everything the Unseelie was plotting out.

"What should we do in the meantime?" Aqualad asked.

"Practice sparring," Robin said. "Whatever you need to do to hone your skills from now until sundown. We can't be spied on."

"Who has to train?" Beast Boy frowned.

"This is the list that we currently know of," Jericho said and cleared his throat. "Starfire, Kid Flash, Pantha, Speedy, Cyborg, Bushido, Beast Boy, Hot Spot, Aqualad, Bumblebee, and Robin."

"I am chosen?" Pantha asked with a bit of surprise.

"I am nominating you, because I know you can help us tip the battle. Possibly," Jericho nodded. "As for the others, it's only obvious."

" _The Unseelie are not known for actual fights,_ " Elvey said through Robin. " _They test skills. Wit. Dexterity. Strength. They like to see who is better than who, but rarely in hand-to-hand combat._ "

"Hmm..." Bushido frowned.

"Could be tough if I'm going against Trident," Aqualad admitted. "That guy loves to fight."

"Or talk your ear off," Beast Boy grinned. That got a lot of laughs in agreement.

" _Well,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _the moment the Kings arrive, the Unseelie will also arrive._ "

"And the tests will definitely start," Jericho sighed.

" _Just remember, young ones,_ " Esmiralda said through Ambrosia. " _Do not show any interest in the Unseelie at any given time. Do not let them think you are curious about them. The moment they sense that others want to know what they are all about, they will not hesitate to show you what games they can play. A single spirit or two is nothing. You do not want over a thousand of these spirits wanting to torment you. None of them sleep. You need sleep. They do not need any form of nourishment. All of you require sustenance. They will tax you until they get bored of you. And they will always keep an eye on you to catch you unawares._ "

Her warning sent a chilling wave of disgust through them all.

" _She is very correct on this,_ " Elvey warned. " _The time is coming fast now. The ones that were called need to start working on their speed. Their intellect. Their strength. Whatever you know you are the very best at, you need to work on it._ "

"Do I need to do anything?" Beast Boy asked.

"No need," Ambrosia winked. He beamed at her with a wide, fanged grin.

"I hope Kid Flash will be okay," Jinx frowned.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Ambrosia chuckled. Now that some intense training was being done by the others, she was able to help Beast Boy keep a solid connection to her mind for the possible chess event. Anyone was encouraged to try and play him just to keep the focus level strong. And any that tried to play him got beaten.

"You know," Beast Boy mused, as he played against Herald. "I think I'm starting to get how this game works. But, I'm still gonna listen to Ambrosia."

"I would. At least until the tests are up," Herald nodded.

"Check mate!" Beast Boy giggled. Herald gave him a look of disbelief, but the moves were true. His king was neatly pinned down.

"Robe wants to try and play you," Raven said when she walked over.

"Really?! Sweet!" Beast Boy grinned widely.

"Raven will move the pieces for me," Robe said when he materialized.

"I still had some questions for ya," Durthis chuckled.

"Ask them as I play," Robe chuckled back. The pawns started to move, and Durthis thought.

"When did ya get yer awareness?" he asked. Jericho and Robin now glanced over to listen.

"Good question!" Robe blinked and found his rook taken. "I guess you could say that it was the moment I was completed. When that last bit of my threading was interlocked and tied, I remember waking up. I saw my creator. It was the Dwarven Master, Alfrigg. He was the one that made me."

"What?!" Durthis gaped with shock. "He was the best of us! He even taught me, too."

" _I haven't heard his name in...wow..._ " Tintagel muttered from Jericho.

" _Indeed,_ " Elvey mused. " _Do you know what happened to him?_ "

"That's the just thing. I don't know," Robe frowned and saved his bishop from getting taken. "The last thing he told me was this. 'I don't know what ye be. I don't know what ye are. But, whatever ye make yerself ta be...ye better make it count.' Then he simply walked away."

"Words he would say," Durthis sighed and shook his head.

"He was simply gone after that. I hadn't heard of anything from him since," Robe swallowed. "It's the one thing I don't know. I can track everything else. I just can't track him."

" _I think that was the whole point,_ " Elvey thought aloud. Now Robe looked at him. " _I think he did tell you where he was. Tell me. What are you now?_ "

"Raven's mentor," Robe said.

"What do you think you are?" Jericho asked.

"More than simple clothing," he said without thinking.

"And how does this count?" Durthis asked. He watched Robe very carefully now.

"I have become much more than simple clothing," Robe said with a steady breath. "I have surpassed my creator. I have become a tome of knowledge."

"You are also my best friend," Raven smiled. He looked over at her and nodded. He also knew that she helped him feel like a true, living being with emotions.

"So, ah...are we still playing?" Beast Boy asked.

"Sorry," Robe gave a small chuckle.

"No worries! I already check mated ya," Beast Boy winked. Robe blinked at that. Raven broke down into laughter. Robe found himself laughing after that and shaking his illusory head.

"I think that ye be the one that Alfrigg created ta be his successor," Durthis said thoughtfully. Now Robe could only look at him with surprise. "He made ya with his own two hands. He even locked himself away fer days on end to finish ya. Ye were his best work. His masterpiece. I also remember how he looked when ye didn't bond with him. I think that's also why he left."

" _You were his child, and you didn't appreciate him,_ " Elvey seemed to sigh sadly.

"I never saw it that way before," Robe seemed to shiver. Raven was calmly stroking the inside of the cloth to comfort him. "If only there was a way for me to...apologize for that..."

At the sight of a sudden portal opening up in the middle of the arena, all of the Titans there went still. At who walked through it next had Durthis's jaw drop with complete shock and joy. Robin and Jericho stood up with surprise. The elementals were quick to blot out the sun to protect the important figure.  _Alfrigg had finally returned._

The stout, old Dwarf was dressed in hard, brown leathers, a few pieces of intricate jewelry work, and wore a steel helmet over his bald head. His white beard looked tattered and blackened from soot. His black eyes studied the area around him, but he found himself at a loss for words at the sight of the elementals. When he saw Durthis rushing down to clasp hands with him, he shook his head.

"Not yet," Alfrigg said in a gruff, gravely tone. "Business first."

"Of course," Durthis nodded. "This way."

He was led up to where Ambrosia was resting, and his eyes instantly went to the pendant at her throat. At the shimmering the slivers did, he found himself drawn into the conversation with them. They were telling him everything that happened in a rapid-fire way. A whole day's worth of conversation was shortened down to only ten minutes. "Sinlus. That's one that I want ta break down inta tiny pieces meself! So, his body be gone, but not his spirit, aye?"

"Yes," Jericho nodded.

"And ye be a King now? I see. Durthis, lad, how many of us be left?" Alfrigg asked.

"I have apprentices, but I am the very last of us for now," Durthis admitted.

"Not good. How many apprentices?" he asked.

"Roughly fifty. Oldest one has been working for over a hundred years."

"I'll test him to make him a Master. Who is your newest?"

"Ye'll be surprised," Durthis grinned. "See that shiny one with the metal on him?"

"He be an apprentice?!" Alfrigg blinked.

"Look. He made two crowns. One be on King Jericho's head. The other be lined with sun crystals, and it matches Queen Ambrosia's crown," Durthis said and gestured for the false crown. Alfrigg studied the false crown carefully. Then he moved to study Jericho's crown.

"I see! I can tell he did take his time with this, too," Alfrigg muttered over his breath. "So, he's part of these confounded tests?"

"He is," Robin sighed.

"Hmm. Let me talk ta him," Alfrigg mused. Durthis nodded and had Cyborg called over.

"You need me for something?" Cyborg asked.

"This is Alfrigg. Dwarven Grand Master of the Forge," Durthis said with a hint of revered respect. Cyborg blinked and changed his stance completely. "He wants to talk to you."

"Okay," Cyborg nodded.

"In a moment. First..." Alfrigg said and turned to look at Raven. "I came back because that robe, my final creation, finally knows what it can be. What it truly is."

"That's right," Robe said from where he stood up. "Yes, it's me. I am...stronger than the rest."

"Ya gave yerself a form?!" Alfrigg seemed to gape.

"I have," Robe chuckled. "And...I'm sorry for..."

"No. Don't say anything," Alfrigg said. "Just knowing that ya understand yer full potential is all I need ta know. Don't worry. As much as I want ta know more, we will wait. This event needs ta happen first. Then we'll talk in depth."

"I understand," Robe said and vanished away. Raven sighed and moved to sit down to lightly comfort her robe. Alfrigg noticed this right away. He would definitely want to know more in time.

"Now, Cyborg! We need ta talk," the elderly Dwarf said. Cyborg nodded, and the two of them moved to sit down and talk a bit away from the others. At the sight of Bruce and Alfred appearing, Robin was able to briefly move to greet them and guide them on where to sit. He moved back to Ambrosia's side quickly to rest his hand on her belly.

"So, why are we here?" Bruce frowned. His small Wind Elemental hovered around him silently.

"The tests start at sundown," Jericho said.

"Ah. Okay, let me cancel some appointments," Bruce said and pulled out his phone.

"Turn your phone off after you're done," Robin advised. Then Elvey came out. " _We don't want any form of interference the moment the sun sets. You saw the Unseelie before._ "

"That I have," Bruce grumbled.

"What is this, Sir?" Alfred asked.

"I didn't tell you what happened at my office a while back?" Bruce asked.

"No..." Alfred said. It was quickly explained, and the old butler sighed. "The office is secured again, though?"

"Yes," Bruce nodded. As the sun began to set in the distance, the training in the arena grounds got a bit more severe. Fire focused to light up the place with several flaming spheres of light all around. Earth secured them in small, stone pillars to help. Wind and Water continued to shield out the sun, if it was needed, for the Dwarves.

The moment the last few rays of the sun disappeared from the horizon signaled the start of true nightfall. King Ealdun, King Warren, and King Elvin were the first to appear to be greeted and accept their seating. Then, much to the surprise of other Titans, other Fae that had signed the alliance treaty began to appear to seat themselves.

"How is she?" Queen Gelsey asked when she walked over with her two daughters.

"Queen Ambrosia rests. Tonight could tax her greatly," Jericho sighed and rubbed over the massive belly to feel the kicking. "Her third month has started. If either Robin or myself leave her side for too long..."

"I'm not budging until I know I must," Robin seemed to growl out.

"The Unseelie were always late," Alfrigg said. When King Ealdun glanced over at him, his jaw dropped with complete shock. "Aye! It be good ta see ye, too! My last creation reached me. So, I am back. I will help bring forth more Dwarven Masters of the Forge. Ye have my word."

"They don't need to sign the treaty, right?" Beast Boy asked.

"No," Jericho chuckled.

"A treaty?" Alfrigg asked. "I want ta see it. You should, too, Durthis."

"I have ta see this," Durthis nodded.

"I'll teleport you there and back. It's sunset now, so I can do it," Herald nodded. Alfrigg nodded back, but then he studied the robe worn. He saw Ambrosia's hair within it.

"This hair?" Alfrigg asked.

"It belongs ta Queen Ambrosia," Durthis chuckled. "I got one, too."

"Did you?!" Alfrigg blinked.

"Here," Jericho said and passed over a long strand. "It just came off of her."

"I... thank you..." Alfrigg said carefully. Even he could tell how powerful it was. "Let's sign this treaty and get back. We have an event ta witness."

Herald blew on his horn to let them both leave quickly, sign the wall, and come back in record time before his portal closed. As more and more of the older pureblood Fae appeared to find places to sit, the elementals were continuously studied. When someone tried to approach Earth, the elemental growled a small warning to show it wasn't there to be fully studied.

" _Fellow allied Fae,_ " Elvey muttered out a touch loudly from Robin to be heard. " _Do not approach the elementals at any time. If they lose focus, then Queen Ambrosia may come to harm. If you ignore my warning..._ "

"Then you will answer to the Royal Council," King Ealdun added in. At the glances the other Kings did, the warning was taken seriously.

" _It is time, anyways,_ " Elvey said softly from Robin.

"Will you separate from him?" Beast Boy asked.

" _Not yet,_ " Elvey chuckled. " _I'm waiting for the right moment._ "

"Gotcha!" Beast Boy grinned. As the sky got darker, the fiery orbs within the stone pillars simply got brighter. The ley lines running along the arena fueled the elementals there easily. When the moon was ready to shine down on them, it would strengthen the magic even more. Everything was peaceful and quiet. At least it would be this way until the Unseelie showed up.


	60. Chapter 60

Sinlus was the first to appear in the center of the arena. He wanted the crowds to fear him. Instead, they slighted him by fully ignoring him. And he even heard a few snickers from the Titans. The real response was given when the two Unseelie sprites showed up. A sense of complete disgust was given at their arrival.

_"We're here! We're here!"_  a sprite giggled.

" _What?! There is no cheer?"_  the other seemed to pout.

"We will cheer when your Court is gone," Jericho grounded out. "Our people are ready. Are yours ready?"

_"Yes! They await!"_

_"We do not bait,"_  the sprites said in their usual rhyme.

"For now," Jericho said. His crown flared out to show it was watching them at all times. The intense magic fields in the ley lines would grant it easy access to punish, if needed. Even Ambrosia's crown gave a reflecting flicker to show it was ready to act, too. When Jericho was ready to talk, Robin sent him a mental thought. On thinking it over, he looked at Ambrosia. At her soft smile, they knew it was time to reveal the secret. _It was time to put the enemy on complete edge._

"Oh," Robin said softly. "Sinlus..."

"Yes?" the vile half-Fae asked.

"Before we start, I need to give you a message," Robin seemed to grin. Now Sinlus paused. It was a grin that he knew well. And at the sight of the pendant suddenly appearing on Robin's chest, Sinlus's face paled. His breathing slowed.  _Fear._  It was the only thing he felt now.  _Elvey was alive._

"Message...delivered..." Jericho said when he stood up slightly. Now Sinlus glanced at him. He recognized the new stance given. And the glare. Tintagel was now quite apparent in him. At Ambrosia's little giggle, his eyes widened with complete disbelief.

" _I will enjoy watching you suffer..._ " Elvey chuckled from Robin.

"You are not part of the tests..." Sinlus managed to hiss out.

" _I am when I'm working with Robin,_ " Elvey's grin got wider. " _The Unseelie knew._ "

"What?!" Sinlus gaped and stared at the sprites.

_"Oh, do not relent!"_

_"Why do you lament?"_  they giggled at him. Sinlus was shocked.  _My masters kept a secret from me._  Now he knew they didn't trust him.  _I have to win this event at all costs._

" _When Slade is done with Robin..._ " Elvey said with a smirk. " _I'm going to make sure to come right after you. Don't worry. I'll make it very quick._ "

"You can't!" Sinlus snapped. Then he blinked at the shielding that went up around the arena from the elementals. They made it so that he couldn't escape unless he was a true Unseelie soul.

" _They want me to settle the score with you. I'll gladly fight you for them,_ " Elvey nodded. Robin sat back down after that with Jericho. Ambrosia was now able to sit up in her chair to watch the main arena floor. She rested her hands over Jericho's and Robin's hands when they rubbed at her belly to keep Aelfric calm. She was clearly exhausted now. On seeing this, the elementals set up a specialized shielding around her to keep her safe. Nothing was going to get through it to harm her.

"Who is the first to be tested?" Robin now asked.

_"One you have, a sister pair..."_

_"They will go first! Go on! We don't care!"_

"Star! It's you against Blackfire. Okay. What are they to do?" Robin asked now. As if on an instinctive queue, several spheres suddenly appeared to float through the air. Then, on a closer inspection, they noticed that they were more like building blocks.

_"Let them build! What shall they make?"_

_"Oh! With excitement we shake!"_  the sprites said with a form of mirth.

"It's construction," Cyborg said when he studied the pieces. "Floating construction."

"Whoever makes it first wins?" Robin asked. At the consenting giggles from the sprites, Starfire flew over to ready herself. At the sight of Blackfire appearing on the opposite end of the arena, their gazes locked. When the sprites vanished away, that was the signal to start the test.

"Hi, Blackfire! How are you?" Starfire asked with a smile, as she started to move the floating blocks. Blackfire only glared and launched herself at her sister. Then her left hand stung hard enough to jolt her in a punishing way. The Unseelie sprites appeared before her with a distinct sensation of disgust.

_"Do not attack!"_  a sprite scolded.

_"The blocks you will stack!"_  the other chided. Starfire now had a head start. Blackfire had to make up for lost time from her mistake. In the end, Starfire completed the stick figure image.

"No! I had four more blocks!" Blackfire panicked. She found herself teleported to a floating cage. Her left wrist was set in a silver chain and bound to the floor of it. She was trapped.

"A shame..." Ambrosia frowned.

"I know," Jericho sighed. Starfire flew over to them, and Robin stood up to hug her. A warm kiss was pressed to her cheek next by Elvey to see her blush.

" _You did very well. Sit down and rest,_ " he murmured. She nodded and did just that. Sinlus was not pleased at the loss one bit. He had ten more chances, though.

_"So fun! Much fun!"_

_"Though we have not won..."_

_"But, it's okay."_

_"We can still play!"_

_"The next set that we will enjoy to test..."_

_"Is one ultra-fast boy! And the tiny pest..."_  the sprites snickered. Kid Flash was nodded to, and he pressed a kiss to Jinx's cheek before appearing in the arena center. At the sight of Gizmo, Cyborg gave a small whoop of joy.

"What?! I was told that I would be fighting the large, metal crud-muncher!" Gizmo seethed.

"Do the test, boy," Sinlus growled from where he sat on Blackfire's cage. "And don't disappoint me. If you fail, you end up like her."

He pointed to Blackfire's chained form. Gizmo swallowed and stared at Kid Flash. The sprites seemed to giggle with even more excitement, and they twirled in the air. A racing course appeared in the arena grounds with various obstacles to block them and thwart them. When some of the obstacles appeared to be spiked traps and flame pits, the elementals did not look very amused.

"We cannot intervene," Robin said calmly to the powerful beings. "We are Titans. We can do this. If we lose, then we will not worry. We'll do what we can."

"Just say when," Kid Flash nodded and readied himself. Gizmo activated his rockets. When the signal was given, they both were soon gone. The only problem was that one of the traps was tar. Kid Flash was able to speed past all of them. The tar stuck him down. Gizmo made a face at him and flew right over it.

"That's cheating!" Jinx hissed.

"Do nothing," Raven warned her. Jinx could only helplessly watch her boyfriend free himself, regain his speed, and end up a second late to the finish line. Gizmo won this test.

"Stupid tar!" Kid Flash growled. He was sitting down by Jinx, and she was lightly rubbing over his shoulders. He was trying to pick the tar out of his pants and boots now. Then he paused when Water and Wind swirled about him to freeze the tar slightly for it to simply break off his clothes. He nodded his thanks to them.  _At least any Titans that lost weren't submitted to being caged._

"I won!" Gizmo grinned. Then he blinked when he found himself on a bench to sit the rest of the event out. And he found a chain going from his wrist to the bench. "Hey! Why am I chained?!"

"To keep you under control," Sinlus smirked. "You're just not caged in punishment."

When the two vile sprites reappeared to announce the next set of contestants, all eyes were on them. Jericho was paying attention, but he was also locked in an intense kiss with Ambrosia. She needed this form of comfort right now.

_"One that is strong against one that's weak..."_

_"What is that look for? Don't be so meek!"_  they snickered at Dr. Light when he appeared.

"Pantha," Robin said and looked at her. She simply got up, cracked her knuckles, and walked to the center of the arena. There were no obstacles here. It was simply a flat arena floor. She readied herself to charge at her opponent.

"I will win! For I am Dr. Li-!" he started before getting bowled over and expertly pinned to the ground by a complex pile driver. She had him bent over himself like a pretzel within seconds. "Stop! Make it stop! Please!"

"Do you give?" Pantha asked calmly and pressed down even more.

"Yes! I give!" the man wailed. Robin was in tears of laughter. Sinlus's jaw was simply dropped. The Unseelie sprites only cackled. The more that lost only meant they got more souls. They didn't care if Sinlus won or lost. This was their main goal.

"Stupid..." Blackfire snorted her disgust at him when he appeared in the cage with her. She turned her back to him and grumbled. As the tests were moving forward, Slade was silently watching in the distance with the rest. He knew he was going to be last. He was thinking over everything very carefully. He watched how Cheshire vanished to be matched up with Speedy. The obstacle course was very complex and tricky to run through. In the end, Cheshire pulled through half a second before Speedy did. Slade could only sigh to himself.

"I will be killed...if I go against him..." he muttered to himself. "All of them agreed to this. I did not. I wonder..."

An idea came to mind.  _It was highly possible that I found my loophole._ He glanced down at his left hand and made a fist. He couldn't think of Robin right now. He let his single-eyed gaze go to where Ambrosia was resting. He seemed to come to a conclusion on what he could try.

"Can't believe the moving floor held me back!" Speedy winced and sat by Kid Flash.

"We were training to fight. Not move through tricks," Kid Flash frowned.

"I know," Robin said. "Don't worry. We're tied right now."

When Cyborg and Brother Blood were called to the arena floor, they both saw the heap of scrap metal before them. It was another construction test. Durthis and Alfrigg watched closely at this one. Anything dealing with Cyborg was going to take intense notice.

"Great. Judged by ancient people  _and_  by my peers!" Cyborg sighed.

"Just do your best!" Jericho called out to him. He nodded to him and started to work on the pile of scrap. Brother Blood was also working on what he could. When both structures were completed, it was a tied timing. The sprites appeared to inspect the metal creations. Cyborg's creation was more robot-like than a structure. Brother Blood went with a sleek, stream-lined pillar to reflect what he was.

_"Who will win? Who will fail?"_

_"How can we tell who will prevail?"_  the sprites were clearly amused by this. Then Cyborg's creation spun around and punched into Brother Blood's creation to easily break it down to scrap again.

"You made yours move?!" Brother Blood gaped.

"Ah...yeah?" Cyborg grinned. "We had the same parts, you know. I thought you would have thought of that, too."

"Cyborg's creation still stands! The point goes to him," Jericho sounded. Brother Blood was about to object, but he found himself in the cage with Dr. Light and Blackfire. At the sight of the chain on his wrist, he only sighed at his failure. "Okay. We are at the sixth challenge. Who is it to be?"

_"A set of fighters will play today..."_

_"And the field of battle is a tower! Hurray!"_  the sprites twirled around each other.

"Fighters?" Robin frowned.

"It's my turn," Bushido said. "I felt them watch me."

"Okay. I'm not sure how this is going to work," Jericho said. Then a tower filled with obstacles sprouted from the ground. It was only obvious on how it was to work.  _The first one to the top wins._ Katarou was soon appearing where his starting mark was. He showed he was ready.

" _Tintagel,_ " Elvey muttered softly.

" _Hmm?_ " Tintagel asked when he emerged.

" _The paths are rather...close. Aren't they?_ " Elvey seemed to sigh with boredom.

" _Dirty tricks can happen,_ " Tintagel grimaced.

" _Don't worry,_ " Esmiralda whispered from Ambrosia's weary form. " _We shall watch and observe. It is all we can do._ "

" _I don't like the look of that course,_ " Tintagel still muttered.

" _Katarou never played fairly,_ " Elvey sighed and gleaned Robin's memories. " _He will cheat._ "

"I think that's what the Unseelie is hoping for," Beast Boy said with a yawn. He was in a small dragon form to save on seating space. And to think the clearest.

" _Not surprising,_ " Elvey mumbled and rubbed a hand over Ambrosia's belly. They watched the signal start off, and, sure enough, Katarou was already attempting to cheat. Bushido kept to the rules, though. He was too honorable to stoop so low. In the end, Katarou did make it to the top with his dirty tricks of jamming up various traps and causing more havoc on the close paths for Bushido to work through. When Katarou tried to brag about his success when Bushido finally arrived, he was ignored.

"I do not speak with dishonorable cheaters," Bushido said mildly.

"You're only upset, because you didn't think of it first," Katarou smirked.

"I never think of cheating. I think of surviving. But, in the end, you still lose," Bushido said with a knowing, cold smile. Katarou was about to question what was said, but he found himself on a side bench with a chain around his left wrist like the others. Now he understood what was said. He wasn't happy one bit.

_"Now it is time for two pawns to play..."_

_"So much excitement we have today!"_  the sprites cackled and watched Brain appear. Beast Boy got nudged, and his long neck craned over. He grinned and flew to his spot in the arena. When he landed, he was still his small stature. He did this on purpose. When the chess set appeared, Brain only chuckled.

"And how do you expect to play chess like this?" Brain seemed to sneer at him. Then he went speechless when Beast Boy's form grew and expanded. He stretched out his massive wings before folding them neatly behind his back. He sat down calmly and regarded Brain with his large, white eyes.

"And how do you expect to play? I don't see any hands right now," Beast Boy asked in his elegant, deep tone. "Also...you may recall how I crushed your mode of transportation. I used my tail."

"Your..." Brain said and saw the massive tail swish back and forth.

"If you lose, I get to crush your mode of transportation again. I doubt you'll be needing it when we are done," Beast Boy grinned. The sprites giggled madly at that. It was easily allowed.

"He had better win..." Sinlus muttered.

_"And you will grin?"_  a sprite asked in rhyme. The other stayed silent. On noting this, Sinlus found himself pausing with horror.  _The rhyming was starting for me!_ He fought down his panic.

"Are you ready?" Beast Boy snorted smoke at Brain.

"Fine. I'll be the whites," he muttered.

"Interesting. I thought you'd go with the darker set. It would go with your transport colors," Beast Boy shrugged. The black, stream-lined podium Brain was on only moved him back and forth for now. At the sight of a slender, robotic claw coming out, the pieces began to get moved. Beast Boy delicately took the tips of his claws to move the pieces. Ambrosia mentally watched him while she appeared to be sleeping. Within a few short minutes, the game began to heat up. "Your king is now in check."

"What?!" Brain said with disbelief. He moved it out of the way.

"Check again," Beast Boy said with a large, toothy yawn. "You are utterly predictable."

"I..." Brain seemed to pause. He was studying the board. No matter where he moved his king, he would get into check. "I demand a new game!"

"You demand?" Beast Boy blinked. Then he simply laughed and shook his large head. "I should pity you. But, I truly don't. If your, ah, possible masters allow a fresh game, then fine. I'll go with it."

_"A new game says he?"_

_"Well, what will it be?"_

_"If he loses, then all is for me..."_

"We can't let that happen, see?!" Sinlus grounded out. Then he winced.

"Already rhyming. Good to know," Beast Boy seemed to grin. But, much to everyone's mild surprise, the request was granted, and the board was reset. Within minutes, Brain didn't find his king in check. Instead, he was now in checkmate. "You lose. I don't believe a third chance is granted for failure. What do you think? I know you wouldn't accept it."

"No! This...it cannot be!" Brain insisted. He found himself clamped down in the cage, and he watched as Beast Boy once again crushed his podium flat with his tail. Right after that, he shrunk back down and flew over to where Ambrosia was to curl up next to her chair. He was in guard mode now.

"You did well," Ambrosia said softly and lightly pat his offered muzzle. He knew she was very drained now. At the sloppy lick he gave her palm, she found herself giggling.

_"Who's next? Who's next?!"_

_"It's all in the text."_

_"There is no book!"_

_"Oh, really? Well, look!"_

_"One that gets intensely hot..."_

_"Against another who's popular...not!"_  the sprites giggled at the small joke.

"That's not funny!" Madame Rouge scowled at them when she appeared. Hot Spot was now on the opposite end of the arena field. All focus was on them.

"I really hope he doesn't get too enraged," Robin winced.

"Let him do what he must," Ambrosia whispered. Hot Spot let himself burst into flames quickly the moment the arena appeared to be that of a treacherous form of ground. They had to run to opposite sides of the arena. Spiked boulders appeared, but he was able to melt them down. He was completely immune to his heat. Madame Rouge, on the other hand, was a touch handicapped.

"Stop doing that!" she scowled at him and jumped over a puddle of lava he made.

"I'm sorry. I don't do what I'm told to do," he snorted and kept burning a path through the obstacles before him. In the end, he was standing triumphantly at the end. She was still trying to make up for lost time. By the time she finally reached the end, she was quickly caged with the other losing villains. Sinlus started to feel his solidity start to fade. He was becoming a true spirit.

"We're ahead by two points," Robin chuckled.

"Good! Let it continue," Jericho nodded. "Let the next test commence!"

"I'm worried," Gelsey whispered to her husband.

"I know, my dear," Elvin frowned. "But, we are here as dire witnesses. This event is quite important. We must ensure that all prevails."

"And...if it doesn't?" she whispered with a form of fear.

"Don't think of that," he said and pat her hand lovingly. She nodded and let him place an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. King Ealdun was comforting Raisa gently to show he knew, too.

"I hope that snake loses!" Fayette muttered.

"Hush now. Show no interest," King Warren warned her and squeezed her hand. She nodded and continued to watch with the others. At the sight of the vile sprites appearing, everyone hushed to see who was next to be tested.

_"As we saw fire, we can see ice."_

_"Is there any with ice? I think it would be nice!"_

_"No, not ice. But...maybe water?"_

_"Oh, yes! Of course! Will they slaughter?"_

_"No, no. Such a thing will never do."_

"Just let them test! I hope I win. Don't you?" Sinlus asked and coughed. He was starting to lose control of it now. Robe was actually laughing hysterically in Raven's mind. It was incredibly pleasing to watch this age-old nemesis finally get his just desserts.

At the mental thought to try some intricate shielding, she nodded and sent out a strand of enchantment over the watching crowd. She was shielding everyone's minds from the Unseelie Court. As long as no one noticed it, then it would hold firm. Blushing a bit at Robe's praise, they settled back to watch Aqualad and Trident appear in the arena. And the arena suddenly filled up with water for their obstacle course to happen.

"I am the most supreme Atlantean!" Trident boasted. "I will win!"

Aqualad didn't even respond. He was going to let his opponent keep distracting himself with talk, as he quickly swam along. What he didn't expect to dodge was sudden volcanic rifts of scalding hot mud and water. He even saw a few intense whirlpools in the distance. He had no fish to help guide him around them. He had to truly swim hard and fast to get to the finish line.

"I made it!" he gasped and grinned at the crowd. But he noticed something was off. Trident had actually beaten him a split second in time. He was able to bowl through a couple of the whirlpools with no problem. But, before Trident could boast his victory, he found himself seated on a bench with a chain on his left wrist.

"I should be given praise! I should be able to strike down my enemy!" Trident scowled.

_"No, no, no. You don't need to do that,"_  a sprite seemed to sigh.

_"Such big plans for you soon! Such a pitiful gnat,"_  the other sprite giggled wickedly. Trident was ready to retort an outburst, but his hand flared in pain with a mild punishment. He had no choice. He had to do as they said.  _At least I won and proved that I was the better species._  That made him feel more at ease on the situation.

"It's all right," Bushido nodded to Aqualad.

"But, now he won't shut up!" the water teen scowled.

"That may be true, but you forget. He still loses," the honorable teen grinned. At this, Aqualad blinked. Then he realized what was meant. "So, sure. Let him gloat. He will belong to another as a simple pawn."

"You're right," Aqualad mused. "I feel much better now."

"Good," Bushido chuckled. When Trident looked over at them to show how proud of himself he was, Aqualad simply waved and pointed at his own free wrist. Then he shrugged at him. Trident blinked and saw his own shackled wrist. Now he was livid.  _Aqualad was free. I wasn't._ Growling angrily to himself, he forced himself to watch the rest of the event.

_"Oh, yes! Who's next? Ah! One that can sting!"_

_"If one can sting, can this other sing?"_

_"No! He sounds bad! All he does is play."_

_"Ah, that's right. But, he'll be testing today!"_  the sprites nodded to each other. Bumblebee and Control Freak found themselves in the reset arena. Then they saw walls appear before them with a single entrance in.  _It was a maze._ They each had a set path. It was just a matter of who got through it first.

"Okay..." Bumblebee said with a deep breath and buzzed into it quickly. Control Freak ran in and paused at a set of forked walls before him. He didn't know which way to go.

"Let's see if this works!" he grinned and hit a button on his watch. He had been working secretly on a device to help him out. His form split, and now he was able to move through each path. When he hit a dead end, he simply teleported to a clone that was on the right path.

" _He's cheating!_ " Tintagel snarled through Jericho.

" _If he wins, then we are all tied up,_ " Elvey sighed through Robin.

" _Disgusting,_ " Tintagel grumbled. Ambrosia simply pat their hands on her belly.

"Do not stray long from my side," she said softly.

"I know," Robin nodded and squeezed her hand. She yawned and watched with a sad look at how Control Freak teleported to the double that made it out of the maze. Sinlus felt a bit of relief, but he was still in trouble. There was only one fight left.

"You cheated!" Bumblebee said to Control Freak after the maze disappeared.

"I did not! I only used a small enhancement," he shrugged and grinned.

"Dude, you totally hacked," Beast Boy muttered in his dragon form. "You know it."

"Well..." Control Freak said, but he was now sitting on a bench with a chain on his left wrist. When Slade appeared, he held up his hand before the sprites could speak.

"I have a...request..." Slade said.

_"Oh? And what's this?"_

_"You must know that something is amiss?"_  the sprites were curious. But, they were also untrusting. They had every reason to be.

"If I lose...I am unsure what will happen to me. If I win...I know what will happen to me. But...if it's a stalemate...I ask for those you had join you to be released," he said calmly.

"What?! There is no way! You know they agreed," Sinlus said.

_"You are truly crazy! Are you drinking mead?"_  a sprite asked.

"I am very serious," Slade said with a small shrug. "You tricked them into joining. I believe...that it is fair."

The sprites hissed at each other, but they kept Sinlus out of it. On looking at Slade now, they both hovered over him.  _They were honoring his request._

"My son, grant me ten minutes. Please?" Robin whispered to Ambrosia's belly. At the kick he got in response, he knew it was granted. Even Aelfric knew this was needed. He rubbed her belly and pressed a kiss to it before rising up to walk down to the arena floor. Slade and Robin locked their gazes for a brief moment. Then Slade rose up his hand again.

"I did not agree to any of this. I am stepping down from this test," Slade nodded.

"You are...forfeiting?" Robin asked.

"I am."

"You are calling a stalemate?"

"Robin...even I know there is no way in Hell that I can possibly defeat you as you are now," Slade seemed to smirk. "You know this, too."

"NO! You cannot...!" Sinlus gasped and coughed, as he lost his form.

_"But he has! And we agreed! Ah, well. They won this lot,"_  the sprite sighed. They lost all of their pawns in this. The chains suddenly vanished from the villains. The cage released the ones that lost. Sinlus screamed, as he was pulled back into the Unseelie Court's embrace for good this time. And, when they left, the marks on all of their left hands were suddenly gone, too.

"We're free!" Katarou grinned.

"Now I get to find that metal crud-muncher and..." Gizmo started. Then he paused at the glares of the four elementals around the arena. All of the villains soon found themselves trapped in various elemental cages. Jericho, Robin, and Ambrosia were able to approach them with her chair moving her. Robin was able to make contact with her again to help Aelfric.

"Yes, you're all free. For now," Robin smirked. "And, don't try to come after us in vengeance. The Titans will  _always_  be ready for you."

"As well as all of our allied Fae brothers and sisters. You don't want to find yourselves messing with any of them. They know how to find you all. You don't know how to find them," Jericho grinned.

"Slade..." Robin said. "What you did was...expected."

"You knew?" Slade mused. He was suspended in a cage of stone for now.

"Yes. We did," Elvey said when he finally split from Robin with the help of the ley lines. Tintagel and Esmiralda were able to be seen now, too. "So, because you helped us gain vengeance, I will give you the gift of freedom. Leave now. Don't come back."

Slade could only sigh, but he nodded with agreement. Now that his mark on his hand was gone, the Fae energy that was in it had dissipated, too. He was truly free once again, and his stone cage simply broke apart at Earth's will.

"Can we freeze the others?" Beast Boy grinned in his normal form. At this idea, Water and Wind were quick to form the chilling shells around them all. They would be sentenced for their crimes and thawed out when properly apprehended in a court system. As for Slade, he was soon gone. But, he did leave a small note on the ground where he stood. Robin moved to pick it up swiftly to read it.

"Damn. He's still enthralled..." Robin growled.

"Well..." Elvey giggled with amusement. "his moves were sloppy, anyways. We'll know when he comes back. You know we will. He still has a moon crystal in his mask. He'll become a new training target!"

"Father!" Robin gaped.

"Father?" Bruce asked.

"Sorry," Elvey chuckled. "It's a habit when I'm like this. Brother figure mentally. Father figure when seen physically. We had this discussion before."

"That's right. Caught me by surprise, since I was used to the dream training. Not like this. It's fine. Just include me in any training sessions with Slade, would you?" Bruce asked.

"I can do that!" Elvey grinned. Robin groaned, and the others laughed. Ambrosia giggled softly, but winced at a hard kick. That brought all attention back to her.  _There was still one important thing left to do._  Aelfric's birth was a prophecy foretold long ago. It was time to ensure that it came to pass at last.


	61. Epilogue

The rest of the month was incredibly draining for Ambrosia. Robin's presence was missed at the Tower, but it was all to get up to this crucial, pinnacle moment. Jericho was sweating now. Both he and Robin had their hands on her belly, as she cried out in pain. Various Fae nursemaids were there to help her in the bed chamber. The main Fae midwife in charge was sitting in front of where Ambrosia was to monitor the birth. All the others had to wait patiently in the ballroom of the Ireland castle. As much as the two of them wanted to leave the room, they simply couldn't.

"Hush, Your Majesty," the Fae midwife soothed her. "Just a bit longer."

"You've been saying that for the past hour!" Ambrosia grounded out.

"Easy, my love," Jericho whispered in her ear. "Soon this will be over."

"It's all right, my Queen. I'm not leaving your side," Robin said gently.

"When did her waters break again?" a nursemaid asked.

"Just a bit ago. That was when we got you," Jericho said.

"That's right. The longest recorded birth that we know of took about three hours, roughly. Fae never have long births. Ah! Look! I see the head now!" the Fae midwife beamed. Ambrosia cried out again when her body began to push. "That's it! One more good push!"

As she struggled with the birth, the others were waiting in the main ballroom. There was a lot of nervousness going around. None of them knew how Aelfric would be when he was born.

"He knows enough, from what Esmiralda predicted," King Warren said.

"That he would know," Ealdun agreed. "I am sure he would use his power justly."

"I wonder," King Elvin mused. "if Aelfric's parents would be immune to him."

"I think they would be," Queen Gelsey said. "I'd even go so far to say that any that signed the treaty are immune. He would know that all allied with him are trusted."

"Thus, it is another reason why that treaty is important," Ealdun blinked with realization. As they continued to talk, Jericho was listening in to what the crystals showed him. He found himself chuckling.

"Hmm?" Robin asked, as he supported Ambrosia.

"The treaty we made. It will help Aelfric know who to trust instantly," Jericho said.

"Ah! That it would!" Robin said with complete agreement. At Ambrosia's next cry of pain, she seemed to stiffen up from it in full. Then she suddenly went lax against the bed. The next sound heard was Aelfric wailing in the arms of the Fae midwife.

"He's born!" the Fae midwife beamed. Jericho and Robin both sighed as one with relief and removed their hands from her. The pendant at Ambrosia's throat seemed to shimmer with joy, as it helped revitalize her. Aelfric was quickly cleaned up, swathed in soft spider silk blankets, and handed over to Jericho carefully for inspection.

The new father only chuckled at the lighter blue eyes that peered up at him. They were, actually, a touch darker now to show his hidden power. A fine fuzz of light, silver hair started on his head to show he was going to be an exact replica of what he was before. The pointed ears added a touch of cuteness to him, too, much to Robin's own delight. But, Jericho also noticed something else, too. As the child of prophecy that held the Ultimate Judgment, the pupils in his eyes were much darker than normal. They almost resembled skulls, but not quite. They could only be seen when up close. At a distance, they looked completely normal.

"Aelfric..." Jericho whispered. In response, the baby smiled and waved his small hands at him. He recognized his name. Then he paused and studied his hands. He actually frowned. "You know you're reborn. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll grow quickly. Just give it time."

An agreeable sound was made now. Aelfric didn't remember who his original parents were, as it was foreseen, but he remembered what he did in life before he died. And he would know what any form Unseelie was the moment any of the foul Court appeared. It would be instinctive for him to know.

"Let me see him," Ambrosia said when she was able to sit up. The moment he was in her arms, she gave a warm, motherly smile. He whimpered out his hunger now, and she was quick to start nursing him. Robin chuckled and looked at the door when it got knocked on.

"Is it safe?!" Beast Boy beamed.

"Not yet. Give us fifteen minutes," Robin smiled.

"Is he born?!"

"Yes. He's nursing right now."

"Sweet!" Beast Boy squealed and ran off to report the news. Ambrosia was able to mildly block him out of her mind to keep him from feeling her pain and discomfort. She also managed to do it for Robin, but he still felt when the pain did spike for her. He was able to hide that fact rather well. When she was in labor, the block to Beast Boy was able to be done. Now the connection was safely reestablished. "Hey, guys! He's here! He's born!"

"Really?!" Starfire squealed from where she was sitting and holding Silkie.

"We had better get to see him!" Jinx giggled.

"I'm sure we all will," Raven smiled. Robe gave her the sensation of a warm squeeze. When permission was finally granted for all of them to see the newborn, it became a royal event. Ambrosia was moved into the ballroom carefully with the help of her chair. Fae guards that were installed by each allied Fae castle were quick to set up a perimeter and to evaluate the onlookers. Aelfric was able to mildly study each person that saw him. None of them would know it, but he was able to see if they were truly honorable or not. When Alston approached him, there was a bit of a pause in the baby's movements.

He knew what Alston did long ago. He actually saw the actions done from his powerful skill. When his eyes narrowed, Ambrosia gently whispered, "He is an ally now. He signed our treaty of alliance. He is proving himself. Can you grant him a reprieve? For me?"

Aelfric looked at her with a sigh and closed his eyes. When his eyes opened, there was no more malice.  _Alston was forgiven this once._ The older Fae gave a look of complete relief now.

"So, Ambrosia can tell if he's about to cast a Judgment," Jericho blinked.

"Good to know," Robin nodded. "She can help him fully grant reprieve on those are trying to prove themselves again. I'm sure he'll be able to do this in time, too."

"We will work with it," King Ealdun smiled and waved at the baby. Aelfric gave him a happy wave back. As many were introducing themselves to the new savior of the Fae realm, including Bruce and Alfred to show they were definitely there for the event, Slade was going over his options now. He knew he was going to want to see Ambrosia again. The mark may have been removed from his hand, but his enthrallment over her hasn't gone away yet. It likely never would.

"They will know...when I come back..." he sighed. "But...the main place is underground. Isn't it? I wonder..."

He found an online book much like the one that Beast Boy read in the beginning with a few quick searches. He was now going to read and study up on Fae dwellings. The more he armed himself on the knowledge of this fairy tale race, the better prepared he would be. As he read about the fascinating world of the Fae, there was one other problem occurring within the Unseelie Court, itself.

Sinlus was supposed to have been a part of the Court mind. He was supposed to have been fully usurped and transformed into the fold. Instead, he was spared. And it was all because a ring wanted him to be spared. As Sinlus would patiently regain his strength, the ring would also wait patiently. It wanted another chance at freedom. Sinlus wanted a chance to be reborn. It was a mutual need, and they were both overlooked by the Court for now.  _Would it prove problematic?_ There was a chance that it could be.

The other villains that were frozen from the testing soon found themselves awakening in an equally cold set of cells. Blackfire was given back to the authorities of Tamaran, and she was already making herself vow to not agree to any unknown deals in the future. It was much the same with the rest of them. Quite a few would always become the usual menaces to society, but that was after they did their time in jail for what charges were held against them.

But, for now, there was no current worry on anything at all. Jericho was enjoying his new life as a father figure and getting mental tips from Tintagel. Robin was enduring the small teasing by his team and comrades on how he was reacting to various things. Especially by Elvey, much to his surprise. Esmiralda was calmly guiding her daughter on what to do as a new mother. It was highly likely that all three ghostly royal Fae were going to be with them for a very long time. It was only expected. And, as Ambrosia simply cradled her new son close, there was only one thing that Aelfric was going to do right now when he closed his eyes. And that was to sleep and dream of happy dreams that all newborns did.

_~End~_


End file.
